Another Life
by marguerite26
Summary: After a little potion incident, Draco and Hermione are sent in Paris, in one of their reincarnated lives, during WWII and the French Occupation. Romance & adventures.
1. Blunder

_Hello everybody!__ This is the first fiction I wrote about the Harry Potter Universe. I originally wrote this fanfiction in French (I'm French) and decided to translate it into English! I really hope you will like it! _

_Thanks a lot to my bê__ta __**confused-luna**__ who corrected this chapter!_

_Disclaimer: I own anything…everything belongs to J.K. Rowling._

**Here's the context:**

- This fanfiction does not take into account the books 6 and 7

- Our heroes are in their 7th year.

- Dumbledore is still alive; Snape is still master of potions.

- Hermione and Draco have been together for six months and everyone in Hogwarts knew about it.

**Chapter one: Blunder.**

" I don't want to see you Malfoy", firmly declared the young woman with brown eyes that seemed to shine with fury, going past the wizard boy who was standing in front of her, not even looking at him.

"Hermione, please, I just want to speak with you"

"Don't call me that!" Hermione retorted. "And leave me alone, you were perfectly clear"

"I'm sorry, very sorry" the young man said, moving in front of his companion to stop her. "But I already said that I did not believe what I told you"

"But you said it Malfoy, you said it. That's all that counts. We have been together for more than six months, and you, all the same, dared to tell me those horrors, to my parents more and you really think that I'm going to forgive you for that?"

"Hermione…" he took her arm gently.

"No, I'm already late for Potions' class"

She brutally freed herself and continued to walk as quickly as possible towards the Dungeons. On her way, she met Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, her two best friends. Their presence reassured her. Draco would never come to bother her if they were here, especially after the events of the past week. At this memory, the face of the young witch tensed up. She had experienced a lot of things with Harry and Ron; adventures she had confronted without questioning herself, but when she had decided to embark upon the adventure "Draco", her friends were reluctant and suspicious. But finally, thought Hermione, sniffling, she would have done better listening to them. Had she done it, today she surely would be suffering far less.

Last weekend, Dumbledore held a parents/students day at Hogwarts: a decision which has delighted many students. But not Draco. He had said nothing to his parents about his relationship with Hermione because he knew they would never understand and even worse they would oppose it. They were raised in prejudice, and even if Draco had managed to bypass the racist ideas he had been bathed in since his childhood, his parents, and especially his father remained camped in their positions. Of course he loved Hermione more than anything - this was certain, she took up so much space in his life recently – but he did not fell brave to face his father in front of this entire school. Everyone in Hogwarts was aware of their story but he made sure that nobody would elude the relationship to his parents.

This day was a nightmare for the young man. He had managed to avoid Hermione and her parents all morning, but when lunchtime came, all the families were scheduled to meet in the Great Hall to eat. Draco went therefore cautiously with his parents towards the Slytherins' table. However, a major obstacle appeared. The Weasleys' parents were in front of them, in great conversation with the Grangers, while their children were chatting cheerfully. During a moment, Draco thought of skirting around them, but when he heard his father sneering behind him, he immediately gave up this idea.

"Well, well, what have you here? Arthur Weasley, so you managed to get a day off from the Ministry. Very impressive…"

"Lucius", Mr. Weasley said patiently. "It's always a pleasure to see you."

"The pleasure is shared, believe me." Draco's father whispered. "Well Draco, why don't you introduce us to your parents' playmates?"

He pointed out Hermione's parents. She raised her look and observed Draco. Seeing that he was doing nothing, she was about to speak, when Draco, who was frightened of what she might say, anticipated her reaction, and declared, pushing his parents to the table of his house:

"Forget about it father, Mudbloods don't deserve our care!"

At those words, Draco saw Ron clenching his fists and moved dangerously toward him. Hermione held on her friend.

"Hermione, dear…" her mother asked. "Who is this young man?"

Draco felt his heart tightening when he heard the young woman's answer, her voice broken:

"No one, mom, no one."

Since that day, Hermione had always refused to speak to Draco and he suffered awfully. He knew he should never have said that and he uttered those words without really think about it, but now he did not know what to do for her to decide to talk to him again.

Draco followed Hermione to the Dungeons and watched her join her friends. He entered the classroom, sighing, and moved over a table behind her. He threw a circular look in the room. They were only few students in the Advanced Potions' class and it delighted him. It might be easier to approach Hermione that way. Professor Snape's voice made him emerge from his stupor however, and he finally raised his face.

"Well, Snape began. "Today we are going to prepare a very complex potion. So I ask for your attention. Quickly open your book to page 257."

Draco turned the pages of his potion manual and read the name of the potion: _Resrevelate_. He did not know it.

"A single drop of this potion," the professor added, "will enable you to spend a few hours in the body of one of your previous life to discover who you were before. Now I ask you to concentrate. I know that for some of you," his gaze deviated on the tables where the Gryffindors were sitting down, "it will be very complicated. But at your level, I would expect no less than perfect from you. You have two hours."

Without waiting any longer, Draco seized his ingredients and instruments and began to prepare his potion, but nearly after half an hour he gave up. First of all, the potion was horribly complicated. Also, he was totally absorbed in the vision of the young witch who was sitting in front of him. She, however, was completely immersed in the making of her potion, which was almost achieved.

Draco was pretending to be focused on his job when the teacher arrived, but returned to his contemplation when he turned his back. After half an hour of this little game, he couldn't stand it any more. While Snape was busy lecturing a Ravenclaw student, he crept behind Hermione and whispered,

"We need to talk."

"I thought I have been pretty clear Malfoy, I have nothing to tell you."

"Listen Hermione, I know you have a bone to pick with me, but I do not want to lose you!"

"Too late" Hermione said, raising the tone.

"What?" Draco stifled. "What do you mean?"

"It is perfectly clear. That's over. We have nothing in common Draco. I am myself surprised that we have been together so long."

"You can't just give up like that Hermione!" Draco cried out regardless of lowering his voice.

All students were now returned and observed them. Curiously Professor Snape said nothing; he was content with staring at them. Harry, however, hearing bursts of voices behind him, stood up and walked towards them.

"Potter, return to your seat!" Snape cried out.

But Harry was not listening to him any more. He was now in front of Draco.

"It's you who should go back to your seat Malfoy. And stop bothering Hermione!"

"Mind you own business Potter!" Draco answered back, coming up dangerously to Harry.

"Potter, I already told you to return to your seat" Snape said, walking over them.

"When Malfoy regains his place, I will do so!" Harry replied.

"Would you stop getting involved in Hermione's life, and leave us alone Potter" Draco retorted, facing Harry.

Hermione looked at them, panicked. She knew very well that of the boys would give up. She was about to intervene when Harry punched Draco. He responded immediately and threw himself on the boy. All students were now watching the trio more carefully than ever and Snape ran across the room to separate them. He grabbed Harry by the collar and pushed him back. Hermione had caught Draco. Everything seemed to calm down, but Harry suddenly freed himself and pushed Draco violently, who then fell on Hermione's cauldron, resulting the latter's downfall. They both fell on the ground and the contents discharged from the cauldron to them. Snape yelled at the students who gathered around them to step back and in a gesture of his wand, he made the residue which was scattered on the floor disappear.

Draco and Hermione got up with difficulty. Both of them had their hands, face and clothes covered by the greenish potion. They looked at each other for a moment and suddenly Hermione just had time to whisper something incomprehensible before collapsing to the ground, fainting. Draco stared wide eyed, leaned over her, and fell beside her as he fainted too.

At seeing the two teenagers lying on the ground, Snape exploded with anger.

"Potter! You stupid idiot! Look what you have done!"

"I…I'm sorry, I did not want to…" Harry stammered out.

"Stop apologizing and help me rather to take them to the infirmary."

Madam Pomfery put them on beds and after having examining them, returned to the entrance of the infirmary, where several students, professor Snape and the school headmaster Albus Dumbledore were waiting for her.

"There's nothing I can do for them." The nurse said.

"What? But what's going on? Ron exclaimed.

"Unfortunately Weasley, Professor Snape explained, the potion should be administrated only on very small quantities, but Miss Granger and Mr Malfoy had been covered by it. I assume, therefore, that instead of being immersed in their previous lives for a few hours, they will have to live in their subconscious much longer than expected."

"But we must be able to do something!" Harry said.

"Wait Harry. We have to wait. This is the only thing to do." Dumbledore answered.

Paris, France.

**June, 14****th**** 1940.**

The young woman was plunged into writing her essay. She was in the library of the Sorbonne University, where she had been following classes for two years now. A noise of rushed steps made her raise her face. She saw her friend who was running towards her. He stopped in front of her, panicked and breathless:

"The Germans entered Paris."

"Where are they?" Hermione asked in a low voice.

"They are driving up the Champs-Elysées." Harry said, sitting down at her side.

"And now, what are we going to do?" Hermione almost whispered to herself.

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_I hope you liked the first chapter !_

_Thanks for reading it ! Please feel free to give me your opinion on this chapter ! _

_Next chapter will be published next week I think !_


	2. Welcome to Paris

_Thank you so much to all the readers who left me reviews! They mean a lot to me! Thank you so much !_

_Thanks to Bi Granger, Fozzy-Floozy, MissAndreaParker, Misofty, humphra, and desidreams19._

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Chapter 2: **Welcome to Paris**

**Hogwarts, nowadays.**

Harry Potter was sitting next to the hospital bed where Hermione Granger was laid down. She had been in a deep coma for over a week, and her condition hadn't changed. The young man had been coming every day to visit her at her bedside. He knew he could do nothing more than wait for her to awaken, but he was always hoping that she would wake up or at least give a sign of life. He felt horrendously guilty, and felt helpless knowing that he couldn't do anything to help her. From the time she had been sprayed by the potion, she was laid down in this bed and said nothing at all.

Dumbledore quietly entered the infirmary, and headed for Harry, who was holding Hermione's hand. With his wand, he made a chair fly across the room and put it down next to the one on which Harry was sitting on.

"It's not your fault Harry" Dumbledore quietly spoke to the silent boy, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Of course it is. I pushed them; it's my fault they fell in the potion." Harry tugged at his hair with his free hand in frustration, and closed his eyes.

"It could have happened to anyone." Dumbledore argued. "Stop tormenting yourself Harry. They will come back eventually."

"Yes, but when?" Harry asked, more for himself than for the person he was talking to.

Dumbledore did not reply, and they both sat immersed in a deep silence. After a few moments, Harry suddenly began to speak:

"Are they really living another life? I mean, is it is our Hermione and his consciousness that will live in another time or vice versa? It's pretty hard to understand and…"

"I understand your question Harry. No, the Hermione that we know will not act in the body she will be sent in. In a way, she will be a sort of internal witness of what is happening around her. She may not make her voice heard, nor to do as she pleases."

"So, she is locked in a body that isn't her own, and she has no control over it, if I understood everything correctly?"

"Yes," Dumbledore said. "You understood everything Harry. She will probably relive only the most important moments of her previous life."

"But…" Harry asked. "What if something serious happened to her former life? What is going to happen to Hermione if she is still stuck in her body?"

Dumbledore gazed upon Harry for a moment before solemnly replying:

"I don't know Harry. I really don't know."

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Paris, January 1943.

It had been more than two years now since this nightmare had begun, Hermione thought while riding up the collar of her coat. The wind was rushing under her jacket, and she was absolutely freezing. She recalled all that had happened since that day in June when Harry came to tell her the Germans were taking Paris. Fortunately, Hermione's parents had felt that the situation could only fall apart, and following the advice of their daughter, decided to run away for Switzerland. They had begged their daughter to flee with them, but she had refused. Her whole life was in Paris. Her parents, very wealthy merchants, had left hardly anything behind them. Slav in origin, and familiar with the theories of Germany on the East peoples, they had sold everything they owned, and gave much to their daughter. Once her parents left the country, she had decided to change her name as a safety precaution. It seemed like everything was going to go well for her, since she was left a small fortune and she was living by an alias.

But living conditions had deteriorated progressively: curfews, retaliations, and small food rations appeared.

However, there was one thing that Hermione had always refused to concede to the Germans. She had continued to attend her classes at the Sorbonne, despite the fact that the Germans were keeping a very close eye on students, and that they had reduced the contents of the library by half, removing the books that were not quite consistent with their doctrine.

Hermione decided to spend the day at the university. Her exams were approaching quickly, and more than anything she wanted to empty her head. Dark thoughts obsessed her for some time. She had been thinking about these thoughts for months, and seeing people suffer around her was unbearable, so she had decided to join the network of resistance Liberation. All her friends had already integrated it. Her face tensed up with this thought. Ron and Harry were taking risks every day for the freedom of France. The idea that she could lose them was unacceptable .She had not seen her parents for years, and if she loses one of her best friends, she dared not imagine how she could survive it.

In a gesture of the head, she dispelled those bad thoughts, and realized that she had arrived in front of the Sorbonne. She entered and went directly into the library.

At the same moment, a young blond man was immersed in reading a police report. He was in his office, installed in a building requisitioned by the German Army in the first days of the invasion of Paris. He was one of the first to enter the city on June 14th with his "Wehrmacht" army. At that time he had arrived as a conqueror in this city, proud that his homeland Germany finally gets its revenge after the defeat of 1918. But now, after more than two years of occupation, he was ashamed. He had witnessed so many horrors that he was revolted by them. He had therefore decided to confine itself to an administrative role; he managed the shipment of goods in Germany. And that suited him very well, the war was not for him, he had been slow to acknowledge this, but now it's too late to shrink back.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear his father enter the room. His father, who had campaigned at his side at the beginning of the war; was now head of the Gestapo in France. He slammed the door behind him. Draco was startled and quickly looked up. He met the steel gaze of his father and sighed:

"Hello father."

"Hello Draco. How are you?"

"Fine, fine, and you?"

"Very fine, I arrested five terrorists, they will be sent into Germany tomorrow."

Draco grimaced. He knew the kind of torture that was practised in those camps where prisoners were sent. He felt that no human being deserved to suffer that way.

"Since when do you study police reports?" Lucius asked glancing at the record that his son was studying.

"For some time now, the resistance fighters attacked a convoy of goods that I sent in Germany," replied Draco.

"Those damn terrorists!" the father of the young man swore. "It is precisely because of them that I am here right now. I need your help."

"Father, I already told you I didn't want to join the Gestapo." Draco sighed.

"I need your help, and there is no way you refuse. I am still your supervisor, do not forget that."

"All right, what do I have to do?"

"I want you go at the Sorbonne University; my spies stated that there was a real nest of terrorists down there"

"You are not expecting me to infiltrate them, are you?" Draco asked.

"Of course not, I just want you to glance at this place, try to get some information as well as to talk to the Rector to make it clear to him that he mustn't tolerate this kind of situation in the university if he cares about his situation."

"I take care of the rector but to get some information you're just dreaming. Do you really think that someone is going to talk to me when it's easy to see that I am German? They hate us father."

"Enough! You'll do what I ask. Would you stop behaving like a coward and a weakling?! It is time for you to involve yourself more deeply in the political and military life of our homeland."

"Right!" Draco answered by tightening his teeth with rage. "When do I start?"

"The sooner, the better! And besides, your replacement will arrive soon. Officially you are now on my service."

"What a joy!" Draco muttered while by grabbing his coat and preparing to leave.

"Where are you going?"

"At the Sorbonne, this is where you ask me to go, isn't it?"

He slammed the door behind him, and hurried up to the exit. He rushed into his father's car and indicated the road to his driver.

* * *

Hermione was sitting at a table in the expansive library. She had been working for over two hours on an essay entitled: _The witchcraft through the ages: Heresy or new culture?_ She felt her neck tingling and quickly raised her head. She closed her eyes for a moment and put her hand on her neck to gently massage it. She sighed with tiredness and reopened her eyes.

What a surprise when her gaze met the one of a young and blond man with blue eyes who was standing in front of her! She didn't hear him enter into the library. She stared at him for a moment in awe. He was tall, muscular, and was wearing civil clothes, but there was no doubt for Hermione that he was a stranger to the university. She had never seen him before, and the school year was already well under way.

She planted her gaze in the unknown visitor's eyes, who has been staring at her since he appeared. Suddenly, he spoke:

"Is this seat taken?" He asked in a timid voice in which a strong German accent broke through nevertheless.

Hermione watched him suspiciously for a moment, and then threw a circular glance on the rest of the library. There were several free tables around them and he wanted to sit next to her? She deferred her attention to him, and after a few seconds of reflection, she authorized him to sit down. After all, better to avoid having problems with Germans.

Draco sat down in front of her. He was coming back from his interview with the rector and didn't feel too good. This old man had received him courteously but yet everything in his way of speaking indicated what he really thought of Draco. The rector looked like he despised and pitied him. When he left, he had no desire to return to his apartment, or even less to see his father. He had therefore thought of taking a look at the library. According to what he knew, it was the most supplied library of Europe and at least there it would be quiet.

He walked in quietly, and headed for the first shelves of the library. He chose a few books and tried to find a place to settle. He saw a few free tables and got ready to sit at one of them when his gaze fell on a young girl who seemed to be plunged into a work of up most importance. He stared at her a moment. She was really pretty, nothing to compare with the girls in his country that he found bland and dull. No, she had beautiful brown hair, a little bit, a face drawn properly, red cheeks, and perfect lips …

Without even realizing what he was doing, he found himself standing right in front of her, and at that moment, she raised her eyes and gazed at him. Having gotten lost in her eyes for a few moments, he regained suddenly his composure and politely asked her if he could sit at her table. She looked puzzled during a few moments, but agreed eventually. He sat down and opened a book.The girl immersed herself again in reading and did not raise her head.

But neither one nor the other could focus. Hermione wondered what a German could do here, and Draco tried unsuccessfully to find something to say to start a conversation. He was surprised when he heard the melodious voice of the young woman addressing him. Apparently she decided to take the first step, he thought with a smile.

"Since when do Germans officers take time to come and take a look at the library?"

"You insinuate that Germans do not like improve their mind? Draco asked, amazed that a woman dares criticize his nation ahead of him. She obviously wasn't afraid of anything.

"I insinuate nothing. But I have come here every day since you took Paris and the only time I saw Germans here was when they abducted nearly half of the books in the library."

"I am sorry." Draco muttered.

"Apologize yourself to people who can no longer complete their studies because their thesis dealt with Rousseau or Voltaire."

"You are brave." the young man said suddenly.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I mean, you have the guts to talk to me like that. I could arrest you for what you just said." Draco explained.

"And are you going to do so?" Hermione asked baring her gaze in the one of her companion.

"Of course not." He replied with a smile.

He stretched out his hand to a quite disoriented woman and added:

"My name is Draco Malker."

Hermione looked at the hand he held out as if it was about to jump to her throat, then considering that there was no danger, she squeezed it and answered:

"Hermione Martin."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Martin."

"If I can afford, your French is excellent Mr. Malker."

"Call me Draco. Actually my mother is French."

"Oh I understand better now." Hermione said collecting her belongings. "I'm sorry I have to leave, I'm going to meet a friend for lunch."

"I understand." Draco said looking rather disappointed. "Do not make your boyfriend expecting."

"I mentioned a friend, not a boyfriend." she replied with a laugh. "Well, goodbye."

Hermione moved away quickly, Harry was waiting in front of the Sorbonne. She kissed him on the cheeks and they began to talk. They were walking away when Hermione heard someone calling her. She turned briskly and saw Draco who was running towards her. He stopped in front of her and handed her a scarf.

"You had forgotten it on your chair." he explained.

"Oh thanks Draco."

Hermione then turned to Harry, who was staring severely at Draco. She took the situation in hand and introduced the two young men.

"Harry, let me introduce you Draco Malker. We met in the library. Draco, here's my best friend Harry Courtis."

"Good morning." Draco said holding out his hand to Harry.

Harry looked at him for a moment and answered a freezing "hello", without shaking hands. Draco then realized he was not welcome.

"Anyway I must go. I hope to see you soon Miss Martin." Draco said before distancing himself with a big step from the couple.

Hermione watched him go and then turned her attention to Harry. He closed down his jaw, even harder than usual.

"What is happening?" She asked.

"He lied to you." Harry said. "His real name is Draco Malfoy and he is the son of the head of the Gestapo."

Hermione remained silent. She didn't know what to answer. He seemed really nice and she hoped that it might be possible to speak with him again, but Harry's revelation completely changed the picture. She stayed lost in thought a moment until her companion called her name out.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

"I think you just get to know your future mission." Harry said his look faraway.

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I really hope you liked this second chapter !

_Let me know what you think of it !_

_I will try to publish the third chapter as soon as possible !_


	3. On a mission

_This is the third chapter! Sorry for taking so long for updating! I really hope you will like it!_

_Thank you so much to **xxxxcrazychickxxxx** who corrected this chapter!_

_Thanks a lot also to my readers and reviewers: **desidreams19**, **miss quirky bookworm**, **kai** (the whole story in French is called Reincarnation, so if you understand a few words of my language maybe you can try to read a few passages!), **amrawo**, **Fozzy-Floozy**, and **Bi Granger**._

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****Chapter 3: On a mission. **

"No way!" Hermione exclaimed.

She was in the cellar of the house of her friend Ron's house, with Ron and Harry. Just after lunch during which Harry kept very silent, Hermione and he had came at Ron's house: headquarters of the operations of the resistance movement called Libération of which Harry was the ringleader. He had just explained to the woman what her next mission was, and she was not pleased with that at all.

"I can not do this, I barely know him." she continued.

"For once I totally agree with her Harry," Ron added. "It's far too dangerous; we can't let her take this risk."

"Both of you! Please try to understand me" Harry continued. This is the first chance we have to approach a high-ranking German. We mustn't let it drop."

"He is not a high-ranking German," Hermione grumbled.

"He is the son of one of the most important German military officer in France; I think we can't drop this opportunity."

"This is unbelievable," Ron repeated. "He will never fall into that trap."

"Considering the way he looked at Hermione, believe me, he will fall." Harry said.

"Wait a minute Harry. I haven't agreed to this masquerade yet," said Hermione sitting as far away as possible from Harry. "He seemed nice; I do not want to use him."

"Hermione, firstly he is a German, and Germans are not good guys, especially during wartime, moreover he is the son of the head of the Gestapo that in my opinion means he is not an angel, and finally he lied to you Hermione."

"I know," she sighed. "But I am not sure to be ready or strong enough to do what you ask me."

"You will be Hermione," Harry replied while hugging her. "I know that you will be. And think of all the lives that you are going to save."

"I know," the young woman muttered. "But I don't even know how to handle him."

Silence consumed them. All three appeared to think. But Ron soon broke the silence:

"So if we summarize the situation, Hermione tries to seduce this man, Draco Malfoy, and has to get information out of him?"

"It's not that simple Ron," the young woman sighed. He looks very smart and I am sure he will have doubts on something if I am too forward. Besides I am not sure to be able to go very far with him."

"What… what?" Ron yelled. "Harry, you didn't talk about that?"

"What do you think they would do Ron? Merely holding hands and a few kisses?" Harry retorted. "Hermione, I understand you may not complete this mission, but could you at least try? For the resistance?"

"I will try," nodded Hermione. "This war and its horrors last for too long. Whatever the personal sacrifices that I have to do, just the result count, isn't Harry?"

Harry shook his head in approval and Ron bowed to the will of his two comrades.

* * *

Drago returned directly to his apartment up to Place Rivoli, after his meeting with Hermione. He was all shaken. It had been the first time a French women appeared roughly friendly with him since he arrived in Paris. And above all she laughed. He remembered very well her laugh, as if it had been carved in red-hot iron in his memory: an open and crystal laugh, a laugh that resembled her, he has no doubt about that. He himself did not remember the last time he laughed. The strict discipline of his father forbade him any sentimental flood. _And Hermione_, he thought his gaze in a vacuum; _Hermione is the breath of freshness and spontaneity that he lacked._ But fear was tormenting him. Would he ever see her again? Or, even though he managed to meet her somewhere, would she accept to have dinner with him? _Certainly not,_ he said bitterly to himself, remembering that here in France, he represented the vile and despicable occupier, the man to avoid, to be slaughtered. But after all, he would lose nothing to try his luck, wouldn't he?

He was picturing different scenarios in which Hermione agreed to have dinner with him when his father, for once, burst in the room. He threw his coat on a chair and sat down heavily in front of his son:

"So my son, what are the news from the Sorbonne?"

Draco thought for a moment. He didn't want to create any problems to the rector of the university, which seemed to be a very nice and wise man. Sohe would not comply with the requirements of the Gestapo. And if his father had to learn it, the poor man would be immediately arrested and God alone knows what will happen to him after that. He therefore opted for the lie, even if it disgusted him of having to lie to his father.

"Well father, I went to see the President, as you have asked me. And the interview went very well. He very well understood our concerns and has promised to ensure that the resistance fighters would be hounded in his university. We have no worries on that side."

"Fine." Lucius said. "That is a good thing. You have shown great diplomacy, I congratulate you Draco."

"Thank you father," Drago answered by lowering his head.

He was ashamed, terribly ashamed. It was the first time he lied to his father. And yet, he could not stop himself from thinking he made the right decision in disguising a little bit the truth.

"And the terrorists? Did you managed to get some information?" his father asked.

"Of course not," the young man replied. "As I said, nobody has spoken to me there."

Draco felt his stomach contracted. He did not at all want to mention his meeting with Hermione with his father. Jealously, he did not want to share it with him. So he tried to deflect the conversation on another topic that himself.

"And you father, how was your day? Everything's fine?"

"Yes and no," Lucius said.

"What do you mean?"

"No, my day had not gone well because my spies have discovered that the terrorist movement Libération has expanded, but at the same time I discovered who directs the movement thus in a certain way my day was also a good day," Draco's father answered.

Lucius took a break, and then looked intensely at his son. .His face reflected such coldness that anyone, including his own son, was afraid of him. He then asked:

"Does the name of Harry Courtis ring any bells to you?"

Draco turned pale. He put a few seconds to record the information. The man he had met at noon was the leader of a resistance movement, and he was one of the Hermione's friends. Could it be that she herself were… no, no, he repeated in his head, she can not be a resistant! At the same time, he only have known her for a few hours, he knows nothing of her. The doubt crept into his mind, like a poison that invades you gradually without that you can fight it. He was wondering: did she play a role with him?

"Draco? Draco? Are you listening to me?" His father asked the young man pulling him out of his reverie.

"I… what?"

"I asked a question…"

"Oh yes, well, no I don't know any Harry Courtis."

"Well in this case, you are now in charge of gathering information on this man, I believe that among all those who are students at the Sorbonne, some of them in return for a reward should easily speak."

"Why the Sorbonne specifically?" Draco asked.

"Apparently this Harry would hang around a lot in this area. I checked with the lists of the university students, he is not one of them; however I think that many of his friends have often attended the courses the Sorbonne gives."

"Right, I will do what you want father," Draco said while walking his father at the door.

He was not feeling well; the revelation of her father did not cease to haunt him. He dispelled his bad thoughts and decided that he would return tomorrow at the library to try to see Hermione again.

The next morning, in fact, at 9 am sharp, he was in front of the library entrance. He wore civilian clothes and was carrying a large cardboard. He breathed deeply, pushed the door and entered quietly the vast room. He threw a circular look around him, and smiled. The woman who had haunted his dreams that night was right in front of him, sat at the same table as the previous day. _She still seemed very absorbed by her work,_ he thought, laughing inwardly.

He approached her and gently whispered once at her sides:

"Hello Miss Martin."

Hermione was startled and cried out. She fixed her gaze on the stranger who had surprised her and smiled when she recognized the young man she had met the previous day and who had not stopped to occupy her thoughts since.

"Draco! ! You scared me!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I am sorry," he answered, "It was not my intention."

"I thought I would never see you again."

"You told me you come here every day, and I had a little gift for you," Draco said putting gently in front of Hermione the large cardboard he was still carrying.

"Really? It is for me?" Hermione asked pointing out the box.

"Actually it's not really for you I guess, but I think you'll make good use of it. Open it." Draco said with a smile.

Hermione stood up suddenly, her eyes sparkling. She weighted the cardboard up to try to guess what it could contain, and then, she opened the box impatiently and pushed a cry of joy in discovering what was inside.

"Oh my God!" she cried out while getting out one by one the books that were in the cardboard. "It's amazing! Du contrat social by Rousseau, Essai sur les mœurs et l'esprit des nations written by Voltaire and Les Pensées of Pascal, and plenty of other wonderful books. But how… why did you do that?"

"Well," Draco said with a smile, "your speech yesterday made me think, and while returning home I went for a walk where the books confiscated at the Sorbonne are stored, and I was able to… let's say borrow a few. I thought that perhaps you could give them to your friends who were unable to finish their studies because of us."

Hermione barely heard the end of the explanation of Drago and stammered tears in eyes:

"Thanks…I don't know what to say… thank you so much"

She looked at him for a long time and he smiled. He had a smile which was absolutely divine, and Hermione felt so grateful toward him that she wanted to jump to his neck, but of course, it would not be correct, so she stood right in front of him to thank him flatly. She thought she must seem completely stupid like that. She was very attracted to him, that she could no longer deny it, otherwise how can you explain that her heart had suddenly accelerated when he appeared? However she had to focus on her mission. But she lost complete control of her thoughts when she immersed herself in the contemplation of the beautiful eyes of his counterpart.

"Actually, don't think I did this only by altruism," Drago said, interrupting Hermione of her thoughts.

"Really?" Hermione asked with a laugh.

"Yes, in fact I had something in mind."

"And what is that?"

Hermione sat down again on her chair and invited Draco to sit in front of her. _It's time my good girl,_ she thought while observing him settling down.

"Actually I was wondering if you would agree to dinner with me tonight," Draco asked blushing and looking a little embarrassed.

"It would be with great pleasure," Hermione exclaimed, laughing loudly in a way that was everything but natural, and putting her hand on Draco's.

The latter threw her a questioning look, the young woman had changed. She seemed to play a role, which greatly displeased at Draco. Thus, he was not mistaken. Hermione must have been ordered to seduce him for information. She was trying to fool him.

"I thought maybe the fact that I am German could be a problem Miss Martin…" he said.

"Call me Hermione," she replied beating eyelashes. "And there is absolutely no problem with that."

Draco quickly lost his smile. This was no longer the Hermione that he had known the day before. She became a woman mid-vulgar, half-ridiculous. Suddenly an urgent desire to get away from her overcame him.

"Fine, in this case, it's perfect, give me your address, I'll send you a pass and a car will meet you at 7:00 tonight."

Hermione took a piece of paper and wrote elegantly her address on it. She held it to Draco who took it dryly. He freed his hand from the one of the young woman, stood up, said goodbye and got out the library, seething with rage and anger. He hated people who try to fool or use him, and this was exactly what Hermione just did.

Hermione looked away and called herself an idiot. She acted like one of these loose no morals girls and she hated it, and observing Draco's behaviour, he did not seem to like it either. She promised that tonight she would put aside this kind of soppiness and try to be natural, because although she refused this idea, she was terribly pleased to go to dinner with him and she would like him to appreciate her as much as she likes him.

Draco raced out of the university and rushed into his car which was waiting outside the building. His friend Blaise was sitting inside it. He looked at him worriedly. Draco seemed completely out of him:

"She will pay me that! Believe me Blaise!"

"Who?" his friend asked.

"None of your business. You will just see my father and tell him that I finally managed to integrate the terrorist movement Liberation. I will make each of them fall one after the other." Draco said with a cold gaze which rivalled his father's.

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I hope you liked this chapter!

_Feel free to let me know what you think of it!_

_Have a nice week everybody !_


	4. Dinner is served

_Here comes the fourth chapter! Hope you will enjoy it!_

_And thank you so much for reading me! This means so much to me, I was so afraid, as English is not my birth language (I'm French), that my story would not be comprehensible ! Anyway thanks a lot !_

_I would like to thank also the wonderful xxxxcrazychickxxxx, who corrected this chapter so fast !_

_And thank you also to my reviewers! **Fozzy-Floozy**, **desidreams19**, **e.y.,** **miss quirky bookworm**, **amrawo** and **xxxxcrazychickxxxx, **you're the best !_

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Chapter 4: Dinner is served.

**That evening, in a German restaurant.**

Hermione raised her head while getting out of the car which led to her rendezvous with Draco. She saw a flag, bearing a swastika, fluttering at the entrance of the place and shivered. This did not augur well, she thought, climbing up the stairs safely. Arriving in the entrance of the hall, she threw a last glance at the outside. She knew Paris like the back of her hand; she has lived here her whole life. What she saw around her was reassuring; she was not in a disreputable area. No, it was quite the opposite. Far away she recognized the Grand Palais and the entry of the Tuileries gardens.

She took a deep breath and entered the hall. It was a luxurious restaurant without a doubt, judging by the magnificent gilded mirrors and dyes that were hung to the walls. Hermione looked at her reflection. She adjusted her dress, and put a strand of hair straight. Satisfied with the result, she headed toward the maitre d'hôtel. She gave him her name and waited for a few moments.

Draco was impatient. He was stubbing his foot on the ground and was drumming his fingers on the table. He looked carefully around him. The room was full with German officers who were eating. Most of them were alone, but some were accompanied by young women who looked anything but respectable. Perfect, he thought with a tricky smile. Surrounded by her enemies, he wondered how Hermione was going to react. Would she try to seduce him as coarsely as this morning? And above all things, to what extend was she ready to go to get what she wants?

Draco had decided to use this dinner for driving the young woman to unveil her duplicity to the others. Moreover his father would be so proud of him when he would announce him that he had managed to capture one of the leaders of the terrorist group Libération. Indeed in Draco's mind, there was no doubt that Hermione was one of the heads of this movement. He had been thinking about that all day and this was the only conclusion that came to him. The best solution that he found was to seduce her and make her confess before delivering her to the Gestapo.

The course of his thoughts was interrupted when he saw Hermione entering shyly the dinning room. She glanced frighteningly around her. Draco stood up to indicate his presence. When she saw him, a discreet smile appeared on her face and came graciously toward him. Draco's eyes stared wide open with surprise. The vision of Hermione walking toward him took his breath away. She was absolutely magnificent, rather divine. She looks like an angel, he thought. Observing her made him forget for a moment his resentment towards her.

Hermione had indeed taken great care of her dress. She chose a black dress, sober and elegant, tightened at the waist and flared at the thigh. The dress stopped at the knees and highlighted her legs. She has carefully done her hair; gather it together in a high hairstyle with decorated combs she received from her grandmother. She had hung a red rose in it, which fit perfectly with her carmine lipstick.

"You are absolutely enchanting" Draco exclaimed when the young woman arrived at his side.

"Thank you." Hermione answered, blushing.

She lowered her gaze and settled on the chair that the young German was pointing out. Drago sat down again and stare at her during a moment. She seemed terrified and embarrassed. She was constantly looked around her. It must be said that she had caused a sensation among German officers when she entered the room. All had returned to her passage and were now continuously throwing leers at her. She felt uncomfortable and Draco could fell it. His certainties on Hermione's treason vacillated as far as he observed her. If she really had been given the mission of seducing him, she should not be so embarrassed in front of him. She seemed to become again the Hermione who had seduced him by her simplicity and natural.

They started a very cordial conversation and Draco raised his hand to call a waiter to order their dish. A young waiter with a round and anxious face and black hair approached their table. Hermione was immersed in the contemplation of her menu and do not noticed immediately the presence of the young man. It was when she raised her face and crossed the gaze of the waiter that she recognized him. She cried out with surprise and stood up suddenly.

"Neville!" she cried with a smile.

"Hermione!" The waiter replied also surprised.

"I'm so happy to see you again." she said shaking his hand warmly. "It has been so long since we have seen each other."

"Since the beginning of the war." Neville said in a cold voice.

Hermione was astonished. Neville had always been one of his good friends, and was always very warm, especially with her and here he is, speaking to her as to a foreigner.

"Do you know each other?" Draco asked.

"We were at university together before the war." Hermione explained. "You stopped your studies, may am I right?"

"This restaurant belonged to my grandmother before. When the Germ… when the war began I decided to come and help as best I could here, and I've stayed since that time." Neville replied.

"What about your parents?" she asked.

"They were killed." the young waiter said, his lips tight.

"Oh I'm so sorry Neville." Hermione murmured.

"And you, what are you doing here?" Neville asked.

"I'm having dinner with Draco." Hermione answered by pointing to the German officer who was still sitting on his chair and watched their talks with keen interest.

"Really? I never thought you would be reduced to do that one day Hermione."

Hermione received this reply as a slap on her face. She turned pale and slowly looked around her. All eyes were on her. Her gaze arose on other women who were dining with German: they were vulgar opportunists for the most part, which only see the material benefits that the occupants could give them. Was it the way that everyone in the room was seeing her?

Draco opened his eyes with surprise. How this pitiful little runt can dare insult Hermione in front of him! He saw her delicate face fell and her eyes filled out with tears. She sat down gently on the chair. Draco was about to stand up and make the waiter dismiss when Hermione put her hand on his to calm him down. She shook her head asking him to be silent. Draco then realized she would not stand a scene in public. Neville then asked with a sweet tone:

"Can I take your order? Madame ?"

Hermione raised her face to plunge her eyes in his. She was fighting the urge to cry. But she would never give him the pleasure to crack up in front of him.

"I would take a chicken with chanterelle mushrooms." she said.

"The same thing." Draco said. "Add a bottle of Bordeaux with it".

Neville scribbled something in his notebook and headed over the kitchen. Draco stared at Hermione in silence. She had her head down and refused to look at him. She had removed her hand from the one of the young man and was now playing with the hem of her dress.

"Hermione, I'm sor…" Draco began.

"No. Please do not say anything." Hermione interrupted him with a white and trembling voice. "Please excuse me for a moment, I have to go to freshen up a little, could you tell me where the toilets are?"

"At the back of the room, on the right," Draco said.

She got up, raised her head and moved away as dignified as possible. She rushed into the corridor leading to the toilets but instead of turning on the right, she turned off on the left and found herself in front of a door. Surprised, she approached and heard a familiar voice echoing inside. It was Neville, who was talking with a woman.

"How could she stoop so low? It's incredible!" the former friend of the young woman exclaimed.

"This may not be what you think" another voice said.

"Not what I think?" Neville yelled. "But what do you think she was doing with that German?"

"Why are you so troubled by that anyway? "

"Because she was one of my best friends. She meant a lot to me. I haven't seen her for nearly two years, and when I meet her again I discover she has become the whore of a German." Neville said angrily.

Hermione was backed to the wall, refusing to believe what she had heard. When the noise of footsteps was heard on the floor of the room, she turned around as soon as possible. She ran into the hallway, her sight confused by the tears which were now pouring down her cheeks without restraint. This time, she did not take the wrong direction and ran to lock herself in the toilets. A chance for her, there was nobody there. Having locked the door, she let fall herself on the ground, hiccupped and weeping.

She remained several minutes lying on the ground, shaken by violent sobs. She could not calm herself. The last words of Neville echoed in her head. She could not believe that she had become what his old friend said. Yet she must confess that not one time when she was getting ready for this date and when she arrived at the restaurant, she had thought of the real reasons that had impelled her to accept Draco's invitation. Of course, she had put it on the account of her mission for the Resistance, but she knew that her first motivation was her attraction for the young German. She disgusted herself. Not only she had deceived Draco, trying to seduce him to get information, but she also had deceived his friends by hiding from them that she had fallen under the charm of a man she was supposed to hate.

Suddenly she heard dull knocks on the door and a female voice calling out. Hermione got up slowly; she gently wiped her cheeks and went to the door. She unlocked it and moved to the back of the room. A young woman came into the room. Hermione didn't want anybody to see her that way, and turned her back at her. The other woman walked over her.

"You shouldn't weep." the young woman said holding out a small immaculate handkerchief to Hermione.

Hermione took the handkerchief and turned abruptly. She recognized the voice of the woman who was speaking with Neville a few minutes earlier.

"He did not mean what he said." the woman continued. She was now standing in front of Hermione. "By the way, my name is Luna Lovet."

"Thanks Luna." Hermione said, swallowing her tears and sniffing loudly.

"His parents' death has upset Neville a lot. He has never been the same since that tragedy, and I assume seeing you with a German revived his pain."

"I am sorry." Hermione muttered trying to regain her composure.

"This is not your fault. You can not change the past."

"I know, but it's just that ..."

"I understand," Luna said. "Believe me one day he will too understand why you are here tonight. However you should return dinner now. Your date is beginning to get worried for you."

Hermione looked at her with surprise. She had almost regained a serene and flawless face, apart from her eyes reddened by tears.

"When I got out of the kitchen a few moments ago, I saw you running in the opposite direction, so I thought that perhaps you heard our conversation. I was going to come to see you, but at the time I had been called into the dinning room to take an order. I was about to come back to the kitchens, when your friend called me. He looked really worried and he very kindly asked me to check how you were." Luna explained with a smile.

"I see." Hermione answered in a low voice. "But Neville is right, I should not be here. I don't belong here."

"Forget about what others may think of you and trust yourself. This is the only thing to do tonight." Luna replied. "This young man who is waiting for you in the room seemed to really care about you. Do not make him wait any longer."

Hermione smiled weakly and began to move to get out the toilets. While she was about to pass the door, she stopped, turned around one last time toward the young woman who was standing in front of her and said:

"Thank you so much for not judging me tonight."

"I would never do that." Luna replied with a smile. "Good evening."

Hermione quickly left and went almost running to find Draco. She felt much better than a half hour earlier, as if her conversation with the astonishing Luna Lovet has relieved her from a heavy burden.

Seeing her reapparence, Draco suddenly got up and walked over to meet her.

"Is everything okay?" He asked worried.

"Everything is fine." Hermione said. "Thank you for your concern."

"During your absence, our dishes have been brought. I hope you will enjoy them."

"I have no doubt about that." she replied, smiling happily.

The rest of the meal went without further hitches. They pleasantly discussed various topics, including their respective careers. Hermione wished to become a literature teacher and Draco, if the war had not broken out, would have studied law. This intrigued Hermione, who finally came to the conclusion that the fact that he was not the German doesn't make him so different from other men.

Draco had become increasingly charmed by the spirit and the repartee of his companion. He was very overwhelmed and began to wonder if he really had not made a mistake in judging her so quickly. After all, he thought in looking more intensely than ever at her, nothing prevents me from testing her for a longer time than expected, just to be sure that she is guilty, but the problem is the more Draco was thinking about this, the more his mind seemed to get muddled. From the bottom of his heart a little voice told him to fully trust the young woman; and she could not be using him.

The laughter of the young woman drove her thoughts away and he finally thought that only time could provide answers to his questions and that's why he was just going to enjoy the present moment. From that moment, he was completely relaxed and immersed himself on a passionate discussion with Hermione, on the subject of aircraft, that the young woman found far too dangerous and that Draco loved.

After finishing their meal, neither one nor the other wanting to separate, so Hermione suggested a walk in the Tuileries gardens, which as she had spotted before dinner, were situated a few steps away.

They walked side by side along the parterres of flowers. The moon and the lamps lit low. As if they both feared, a prolonged silence would lead to a situation that neither could control; they had not stopped talking since they left the restaurant.

"It's really beautiful." Draco said looking around him.

"Paris is the most beautiful city in the world." Hermione said.

"Maybe."

"Maybe? Are you doubting my words?" Hermione asked with a laugh.

"No, no, of course not." Draco resumed. "It's just that I have been living here for over two years and I feel like knowing nothing of this city."

"Well, we are going to solve this problem." the young woman said.

"You would agree to be my guide?" He asked.

"Of course." Hermione assured. "I remember how much I loved spend entire days discovering Paris with my parents."

"Your parents? Do they live in Paris?"

"Actually… no. They moved to Normandy, a little time ago." Hermione lied, looking very embarrassed.

"Do you miss them?" Draco asked.

"Awfully." Hermione confessed. "Family is the most important thing in the world."

Seeing that at this statement Draco remained silent, Hermione decided to continue the conversation:

"What about you, what are your parents like?

"Well, my father is an army officer, and my mother stayed in Germany. My father would not let her accompany us, and I totally agree with him, only now I…

Draco stopped for a moment. He did not plan on talking so much of him.

"You…" the young woman encouraged.

"I think that I never felt so alone in my life, lost in the midst of a people who hate me and do not want me." Draco confessed by lowering the head.

"I am sorry." Hermione said with a soft and soothing voice. "Really sorry."

Draco raised his head quickly. He slowly approached Hermione and lifted his hand up to her face. He caressed her cheek gently and said:

"But you are not going to leave me alone, are you?"

Draco leaned gently towards the girl's face and laid his lips on hers. Hermione closed her eyes for a moment and savoured the sweetness of the kiss. While Draco was ready to deepen the kiss, he put his hands around her waist; but Hermione stepped brutally away from him. Her eyes were again filled with tears.

"I am sorry." She smattered out. "I can't do this…"

Draco threw her an interrogator and lost look. He didn't understand anything. She had looked to enjoy their kiss, and now she was crying. She continued:

"Why did you lie to me about your name Draco?"

The young man remained speechless. He had never imagined that she would say that.

"Your real name is not Draco Malker, isn't it? She asked while plunging her eyes in the one of the young man.

He looked at her; completely stunned. They stayed a few seconds staring at each other until Hermione shoved him. She ran to the exit and disappeared into the night leaving Draco stood in the middle of the gardens, not knowing what to do.

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Hope you liked this chapter!

_I wonder how you think this story is going to end. Just let me know!_

_Have a nice week-end everybody!_


	5. A very useful prisoner

_I'm so happy all my readers enjoyed the fourth __chapter! I hope you will like the new one! Thank you so much for all of you who read and reviews!_

_For those who asked me: this story, called Reincarnation in French, is made up of 20 chapters. I'm also currently writing the sequel of this story! So if you like this story, I will probably translate the sequel as well!_

_Thank you so much again to my beta: __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__(I'm crossing my fingers for you test of Wednesday!)_

_And a special thanks to my lovely reviewers: __**amrawo**__, __**GaaraXSakura1992**__, __**sarahyyy**__, __**ally**__, __**Bi Granger**__, __**tigersky7**__, __**Clementine Angst**__, __**miss quirky bookworm**__, __**malfoyie456**__, __**CharmedForce**__, __**desidreams19**__ and __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__. _

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****Chapter 5: a very useful prisoner. **

Draco had come back to his flat completely depressed, and kept thinking of what had happened this evening.

When he got a grip on himself, he was still stood in the middle of the Tuileries Gardens. Hermione ran away and Draco remained standing without saying anything. After a while, he rushed after the young woman, but she had already disappeared into the darkness of the streets.

As for Hermione, she didn't return home. She knew it was the first place where Draco would look for her. Instead, she went to the flat of her friend Ginny, Ron's sister. She knocked at the door and a few seconds later a young red-haired woman opened the door. As soon as she saw the face of Hermione, still dripping with tears, she let her in and settled her in an armchair. She disappeared and reappeared a few minutes later with a cup of tea in her hand. She handed it to her friend. Hermione grabbed the cup, and blew her nose loudly in the handkerchief that Ginny had given her.

"What happened? Did he hurt you?" Ginny asked.

"No...No…" Hermione gulped. "It's me. I cracked up."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked while sitting at her side.

Hermione sighed and began to tell everything that happened during this evening. As Hermione was recounting her story, Ginny's face fell. At the end of her story, Ginny remained silent a few moments, and then breaking the silence, she asked: "If I follow you, you are telling me that you failed a mission because you have feelings for a German?"

"Ginny, please, don't judge me. I did not want this to happen; I swear." Hermione whispered her head covered by her hands.

"I am not judging you Hermione," Ginny replied. "I know love can not be controlled. I just wanted to make sure you knew exactly what you feel."

"I don't know at all what I feel Ginny! Nevertheless, I know that I should not see him again. When he looks at me, I lose my composure, I stop thinking properly. I lost control of myself and you know how much I hate that."

"What are you going to do then?"

"I don't know. I know that I can not return to my apartment, in any case, at least not in the days to come."

"And Harry and Ron? What are you going to tell them?" her friend asked to Hermione.

"That I failed my mission, that's all." the young woman said. "Promise me you won't say anything Ginny. Please, we both know them, and we know that they wouldn't stand it."

"I understand." Ginny replied. "Well until this whole story cools down, you will stay with me."

"Thanks Ginny. I don't know how to thank you for everything you do for me."

"Promise me one thing Hermione." the latter replied in a serious tone. "Whatever your feelings for this man are, you must not see him again Hermione. It's too dangerous."

"I promise Ginny." Hermione said. "Anyway now that I told him that I know his true identity, I don't think he would like to see me again".

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Hermione was terribly wrong. Draco had spent the night thinking about her and was now only wishing one thing: meet her again and apologize. He felt so guilty for having thought that she might have been using him. Now it seemed obvious that he was wrong on her behalf. If she really had been given the mission to seduce him, she wouldn't have reacted like this, and she never would have rejected him on the pretext that he lied to her. He was determined to find her, apologize to her, and beg her to give him a second chance.

However, nothing happened as he had planned it. From the next morning, he gave up his mission and went to her apartment but to his surprise, there was nobody there. He came back for lunch and dinner, but no success. The next day, he repeated this operation, but he had to face the facts, Hermione had left her apartment. In desperation, he went the next day to the Sorbonne's library. He stayed there for hours, but she never came. He interrogated the head of the university who confirmed him that the young woman did not attend her classes since the famous day when he had invited him to dinner. The rector wisely advised him to try to forget her. He was familiar with Hermione, and knew that something very serious must have happened for her not to come over to the university, and he strongly doubted that she would return there one day.

Draco came back home even sadder than when Hermione left him alone after their date. But, he thought by lying down that evening, I am a Malfoy, and Malfoy's never give up. "Never" he repeated there before falling into a deep sleep.

The following days were hardly more productive for the young man. Although he was searching, he could not find any trace of the young woman, it was as if she had simply disappeared. He was beginning to despair when fate decided to give him a little help in making him witness an arrest. Indeed his father was away all day and he had to replace him, at least for this period. He was about, however, like the previous two days, to ignore his obligations and to seek Hermione, when he heard screams raising up from the inner courtyard of the building where the general headquarters of the Gestapo were installed in Paris.

Irritated by the screams, he ran in their direction, and as soon as he saw the new prisoner being brought, he got an idea and immediately rushed over the two soldiers and their captive. As soon as they saw him arrived, the two soldiers, who were holding the boy by the shoulders, and have tied his hands to prevent him from fleeing, straightened up to greet Draco respectively. The latter asked:

"Who is this?"

"The leader of the terrorist movement Liberation sir. Harry Courtis."

"Well, very well" Draco said watching carefully around him.

Harry gazed, full of hatred and contempt, at Draco. The German officer had already met him and had immediately noticed that the young man did not like him, but this was worse. If Harry had his hands free and was not surrounded by Germans, he would have jumped to his throat and kill him with his own hands. However, Draco knew that Harry could be useful to him.

"Allow me." Draco said to the two soldiers. "I can handle him."

"But sir, you…alone with him…" one of the soldiers stammered.

"Would you dare disobey me?" the young man asked, raising the voice.

"No, of course not." the other soldier said.

"Besides" Draco said while grabbing Harry by the shoulder, "I am sure that Mr. Courtis will be very cooperative. Aren't you Mr. Courtis?"

Draco smirked at Harry as he got out his gun from his pocket and pointing it in front of the prisoner's head. The latter remained silent and only satisfied himself with glaring at the German.

"You may leave." Draco said to the two soldiers.

They saluted him and then walked over the opposite direction. Draco who had not dropped Harry, grabbed him by the arm harder and drag him while muttering:

"You, you follow me without turning a hair and if you ever try to run away, I assure you that I would not hesitate to shoot you in the head. Got it?"

"That's what you will do anyway." Harry said in struggling vigorously.

"Listen to me, idiot!" Draco said while stopping abruptly in a remote corner of the court where they both were. "You are going to keep silent; you follow me, and wait to hear what I have to tell you."

Harry stood to launch a virulent reply to the abuser, when he met the gaze of Draco. He could not explain why but he doubted now that Draco absolutely wanted to kill him.

The young German threw several circular look around him to make sure that nobody could see them. Then he opened a small wooden door and pushed Harry inside. He closed the door behind him.

Harry looked around him, looking for a way to escape. The room was small, and sweltering. Very little light flowed from one small window with smoked glasses in the interrogation room where the two young men were. A single chair, and a huge pile of cardboards glued to a wall made up the whole furniture of the room. The only possible exit was the door by which they entered. Harry became discouraged. He could never get out of here alive. As if Draco could read his thoughts, he said:

"Do not even think about it. You would not walk three steps in the courtyard without being shot. Now sit down."

Harry obeyed and sat on the chair. Draco was in front of him, and seemed in full reflection. After a while, Harry broke the silence:

"Well, are you going to start hitting me now or are you waiting for your little comrades to arrive?" He asked.

"Shut up Courtis!" Draco yelled.

He was still stood in front of Harry and continued:

"Is Courtis your real name?"

"I don't know why I should answer that." Harry replied.

"All right. Anyway, it does not interest me at all. I just wanted…" Draco hesitated for a moment… "I wanted to speak with you about Hermione."

"Hermione? Why is she involved in that story?"

"I… I would like to see her again."

"Certainly not." Harry said. "I don't know what happened between you two and I don't want to know, but since that evening, she is absolutely disorientated."

"I am sorry but I really have to talk to her."

"How can I be useful?" Harry asked with a sneaky smile.

"Do not talk to me like that," Draco cried out. "Remember who I am!"

"How could I forget?" Harry answered with cold voice.

Draco began to stand about. Harry observed him with a strange gaze. The German officer looked really upset.

"Do not force me to beg you Harry. I know you hate me and I can't blame you, I rather understand you. Nevertheless I can swear to you that I do not want to cause any trouble to Hermione. I really care about her."

Harry lifted his gaze and crossed Draco's eyes. He seemed sincere, but in recent years, he had learned to be suspicious of everyone, no matter if they seem honest.

"Words from the German are not worth it: even more from the son of the head of the Gestapo."

"I can't believe it!" Draco yelled. "You understand nothing!"

Draco suddenly stopped walking and stood in front of Harry. He put his hands on the chair and was facing now his prisoner.

"I'll make a deal with you Courtis. I let you go, and in exchange you speak to Hermione. You ask her whether she agrees or not to meet me tomorrow in front of the Sorbonne University."

"What if I refuse?" Harry asked in a sceptical tone.

"I'll hand you over for to the SS, they will torture you and for the better you will be sent to camp, or for the worst… well you know what awaits you."

Harry thought for a moment. Was that a trap? You could not be sure about anything with Germans.

"Of course," Draco continued. "We are going to make people believe that you attacked me during interrogation, that you hit me and attach me to the chair, and that you have escaped."

"By what exit?" Harry asked. "The only door that I see is behind you, and it opens onto a courtyard filled with armed Germans."

Draco did not answer anything, and walked toward the back of the room. He pushed very hard over the stack of cardboards and a small backdoor emerged.

"It looks onto a small street behind the building. Nobody ever pass by that lane. I use it when I need to go and take a walk without being asked questions." Draco explained.

Draco moved again to stand in front of Harry and continued with his face closed and his eyes determined:

"Now, I want your word that once I release you, you will go talk to Hermione."

"I can't promise you anything, I am sorry. If, when I explain to her how I managed to run away, she wants to hear what I have to tell her about you then I will talk to her. Otherwise, I would say nothing."

"You know that if I do not release you, they will kill you." Draco said in order to convince him.

"I don't care. I think that this whole story with Hermione is not a good idea. It can only hurt her." Harry explained. "This is nothing personal Malfoy, I would do the same with any German."

"If you accept our domination, things might be different." Draco argued.

"We will never accept it!" Harry yelled, his sloes sparkling with anger. "What you haven't realized yet is that when a state is enslaved by a tyrant, resistant voices rise against this dictatorship and even if you kill me and all my comrades, there will always be people to fight against you. We will never give up the fight nor disappear. Our freedom is the last battle lying ahead."

"You are all totally crazy." Draco muttered.

"Perhaps" Harry said. "However you know I am right aren't you? If you were me, I am sure you'll do exactly the same thing."

"Do you think that I agree with this policy of repression?" Draco sniggered. "Well you're so wrong. This war and its consequences make me sick. I never asked to participate, and in some ways, I understand why you fight Harry. But I can not change who I am."

Harry did not reply. It was the first he saw a German experienced remorse for what was happening at the moment in Europe. Draco continued:

"Do you think it's easy for me to be the son of Lucius Malfoy? You have no idea what it is to be hated by all the people that you meet in the streets."

Draco took a break, then coming out a knife of his boots, he ended his monologue:

"The only person who hasn't judged me, and that has brought some joy in my life, it was Hermione. Please, speak to her."

Draco cut the ties and Harry got up. The young resistant stared at him for a moment and without warning him punched him in the face. Draco bent in pain.

"You didn't have to hit me so hard." the German officer said by rubbing his cheek.

Harry said nothing and sent him another blow on the nose. Draco took it, and quickly raised his face, which were bloodied and swollen now.

"All right I think it is sufficient." Draco said

"You may not know how much I was relieved to hit you." Harry said a big smile on his face.

"I can imagine." Draco sighed. "Now, tie me, and hurry up and get the hell out of here."

Harry did not lose another minutes talking and tied Draco firmly on the chair. The links lacerated his skin, which was already beginning to blush, but he expressed no complaints. Draco looked at him for a moment.

"Remember." Draco said. "You promised you would talk to Hermione. Tomorrow at 11 am at the Sorbonne."

Harry nodded and headed for the exit. Then as he was about to pass the door, he turned around suddenly.

"My real name is Potter. Harry Potter. Harry Potter. My parents were English; they came to settle in France more than two decades ago. They were killed by German soldiers during the First World War."

"Harry I am sorry, really sorry." said Draco.

Harry kept silent and simply escaped by the back door. As Draco said, the street was deserted. He hurried to leave this dangerous area and went as discreetly as possible to the apartment of his girlfriend, Ginny.

When he knocked at the door, he waited a few minutes for someone to come and open it. It was Ron. His eyes were red as if he had cried. When he saw Harry, he threw himself into his arms.

"Ron, what's happening?"

"We thought you were dead." Ron said looking very upset. "Someone witnessed your arrest and told me you have been taken to the headquarters of the Gestapo and…"

Ron was unable to finish his sentence; Ginny appeared behind him, in tears, to see who had arrived. She was sobbing. But as soon as she saw Harry, she pushed a cry and rushed towards him. She hugged him and covered him with kisses. Harry smiled and freed himself from her embrace:

"Ginny, I am fine."

"But how did you manage to escape?" Ron asked perplexed.

The face of Harry suddenly fell. He answered with hard voice:

"Is Hermione here? I need to talk to her."

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So what do you think about this new chapter?

_It was really hard to translate so I hope you enjoyed it all the same!_

_I look forward to read your impressions about this chapter and the whole story!_

_Have a nice week everybody !_


	6. A couple of explanations

_Here comes Chapter __6! I really hope you will like it_

_Thanks to __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__ who betaed all the chapters so well!_

_And a special thanks to: __**amrawo**__, __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__, __**desidreams19**__, __**miss quirky bookworm**__, __**Fozzy-Floozy**__, __**Clementine Angst**__ and __**anglbby989**_

_Happy reading!_

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Chapter 6: a couple of explanations.

"How could this happen?" Lucius yelled again once he had returned to the headquarters of the Gestapo.

Draco's father was all worked up. As soon as he had returned and had learned of Harry's flight, he flew into a rage. He had dragged his son into his office and had started to reprimand him very severely.

"I am sorry father." Draco muttered.

"Sorry! You are sorry? Your apologies are useless. Do you realize what you have done?"

"Father, I…" the young man began.

"I know." his father interrupted. "You are sorry. But now because of you a dangerous terrorist escaped!"

"I could not know that he had managed to unchain himself, and when he jumped over me, I was taken by surprise."

"You should never be alone with him Draco. I really don't understand why you had been alone?"

"I just wanted to make you proud of me father." Draco said.

"Well…fine." Lucius said disturbed. "The most important thing is that he didn't kill you, which is rather strange I think. Terrorists don't do this usually."

"Courtis is different. I do not know why, but he is not afraid of us. It is pretty strange."

"Strange or not." his father said, who had returned to his natural coldness. "We have to find him. Since this is your fault, it is up to you to direct this mission. Do not disappoint me this time Draco."

"I won't father." the young man said while starting to leave.

"Draco! Wait a minute. What about the network of resistant you told me you have infiltrated?"

Draco took his time before answering, and then with his head down he added, "I am sorry father; I was steered onto a false trail. I was mistaken."

Lucius shook his face and continued, as if Draco's statement had no importance, "Blaise Zabini is waiting in the hallway; send him in when you come out."

"Right. Goodbye father."

"Au revoir Draco."

Lucius remained silent for a moment. He did not like at all what was happening in this moment. He heard the door slammed and turned around. His son's friend Zabini was in front of him.

"You asked to see me commander?"

"Yes, sit down Zabini. You are close to my son aren't you?"

"We are friends for years this is true, why?"

"Have you noticed any change in his attitude lately?" Lucius asked.

"No." Blaise said after a moment of reflection. "Of course, he is a little tense at the moment, but not so much more than other days I guess."

"Right. I have a favour to ask you Zabini."

"Yes?"

"I'd like you to follow my son, and to tell me everything he does." Draco's father explained.

Blaise did not seem unduly surprised by the request of Lucius Malfoy. Everybody knew that Malfoy was very protective with his only son, and that he had every reason to obey him. Blaise accepted the mission and got up to leave. There was no point in discussing the orders of the head of the Gestapo. Moreover, it was better if it was he who was to oversee Draco, not another. Who knows how Draco lands himself in trouble, Blaise thought.

"Of course, this whole story stays between us right?

"Of course." Blaise said getting out of the room.

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The next morning, Draco arrived half an hour before the appointment, and looked around for Hermione from the stairs of the entrance of the Sorbonne. It was the place where they had met and Draco hoped that it would bring him luck. He knew that the conversation would not be easy. How could there be anyway…but he was just hoping that if they both remained quiet and if they listened to one another, maybe they could get back on a sound basis?

While passing toward the Sorbonne, he had stopped in a florist and had chosen for Hermione a magnificent lily. Maybe it would help to put her in a good mood, he thought while ridding up his scarf and the collar of his coat. January drew to a close, and despite the clear and cloudless sky, an icy wind crept under Draco's clothing, causing him to shudder. However he decided to be patient, and waited for the arrival of the young woman.

Forty minutes had passed after the time of the appointment, and he began to wonder if she would really come. He was freezing so he slowly sat on the steps. He was trying as best as he could to protect his flower but it was not a success and the lily showed signs of evident weaknesses.

Five minutes later, he looked again at his watch and sighed. This time she won't come. What an idiot! He thought. How could he have ever thought that she would come. Of course not, she did not want to see him. Not after what had happened between them the last time. Besides, he was not even sure that Harry had transmitted Hermione his message. She most certainly did not want to have anything to do with him.

He ran his hand through his blond hair, stood up slowly and looked around him: no one. He sighed once more and began to go down the stairs to return to his car when a woman's voice stopped him.

"Hello."

Draco immediately turned around. Hermione was standing in front of him. She was wrapped up warmly in her coat, and wore a black beret and a scarf of the same colour. Her nose and cheeks were red from the cold and Draco thought she was absolutely adorable. Yet she looked totally shocked and lost. He walked cautiously over her.

"I thought you wouldn't come." he said in a small voice.

"I hesitated for a long time before coming." Hermione replied.

"I am glad you finally decided to come and I…"

"No." Hermione interrupted. "I can not stay too long, my friends are waiting for me and I just came to thank you for saving Harry. Thanks again. Harry is like a brother to me. I do not know what I would have become if he had been…"

Hermione could not finish his sentence. She had her eyes filled with tears and preferred not to continue her sentence. He had the impression of her having spent the last few days only sobbing, and it was even worse since she had spoken to Harry. She felt torn from the inside, and did not know at all what to do. Go to this appointment? Do not go there? Everything was mixing up in her head. And yet she was there in front of him. Draco was looking voraciously at her: him who hadn't ceased to haunt her thoughts and dreams for days. She had taken the resolution to be firm and keep the promise she had made to Ginny: never see him again. So she should not go to this appointment. Yet almost without realizing it, she had grabbed her coat, scarf and beret and had rushed outside and went to the Sorbonne, fearing he was already gone.

She took a deep breath and added, "Well that is all I have to say. Now I think I'd better leave."

"No!" Draco cried as she had already diverted from him already. "Please…stay…at least a few minutes. Let me just explain to you a few things. Then you can go and I can assure you that I will never bother you again. Please. Just a few minutes."

The tone and the supplicant eyes of Draco made Hermione give in and she capitulated. She stood straight in front of the young man and waited.

He first remained silent and then began to speak softly, "I am sorry, very sorry that I had to lie to you. Of course, if I have asked you to come today it is not only to apologize, but I just wanted to do it first. If I gave you this appointment it was primarily to explain my gesture. I did so for several reasons. The first is that when I met you the first time my father just made me transfer from my service to the Gestapo, against my will of course, and he sent me to lecture the rector of the Sorbonne and also gather information on the networks of resistance that would be on the loose in this university. The name of my father being too familiar, I could decently not use it unedited, so I decided to change it a little bit. Then, well, then I was trapped. I wanted to be honest with you…but I also wanted you to not be afraid of me, because of my father."

Hermione kept silence and listened very carefully, captured and horrified at the same time by these revelations.

Draco lowered his eyes and continued, "Second, I learned that Harry that you introduced me to was the leader of a group of members of resistance. I was so disappointed. I wanted you to like for what I am, not for my name. So when I heard about Harry, and when I saw your reaction when I invited you to dinner, I thought you were also a member of the resistance and that your mission was to seduce me to get information." Draco said with a bitter tone.

The young woman raised an eyebrow. So he had seen clearly what she was doing from the beginning. Her face lost the few colours that remained on it; however she didn't dare to interrupt him and rather preferred to let him keep talking.

"I so wanted to be more than a simple mission for you and I thought when you were using me I decided to make you pay. I wanted to see how far you could go. That is why I invited you in a restaurant packed with German. Then, I wanted to arrest you and your resistant friends, just because my pride was hurt. I was so ashamed of myself being caught in a trap by you. That revenge was the only thing I had in mind. Of course, when I saw your reaction to the insult of your friend in the restaurant, and then when you ran away in the park I realized that I was wrong all the time. But it's too late now, isn't it?"

Draco raised his head and met Hermione's lost gaze. He decided to go to the end of his thoughts. He was sure, in any case, that it was the last time he saw her.

"I know there's nothing that can excuse what I did. I am unforgivable, but I just wanted to explain to you the whole story, and also tell you that I like you…. a lot." Draco said, smiling shyly. "But I understand what can feel for me and I can promise you that I will never bother you again. Adieu Hermione."

He looked at her one last time and turned back. He was almost down the stairs when he heard the voice of Hermione calling him. He turned around and stopped. Hermione went also down the stairs and found herself in front of him. She was pale and seemed to be about to faint. It's was her turn to reveal the truth now, she thought while gazing at Draco. He had the courage to tell her everything, so she had to be honest with him.

"You were right about me." she began making every effort she could to ensure that her voice was not trembling. "I am part of the resistance movement Liberation."

It was the turn of Draco to pale. He wanted to ask a question but Hermione raised her hand to prevent him from speaking.

"No, please. Let me finish. Do not interrupt me please." Hermione said. "Yes, I am a resistant or rather a terrorist as you like calling us. And I was proud of that before I met you. My real name is not Hermione Martin, but Hermione Granger. My parents haven't settled in Normandy for a few months, in reality it would be more than three years now that I haven't seen them. They fled, bringing with them my brothers and sisters, in Switzerland before the war. We are Polish immigrants and our people are seen as a under race by Hitler. They knew that if they stayed, they would be the first to be subjected to persecution. They asked me to run away with them. I refused. I did not want to flee from those who believe that my blood is lower than theirs."

Hermione bravely raised her head and looked at Draco. She was afraid anymore now. Daring to tell the truth to someone seemed the release her from a weight she carried for too long. She waited in vain for a response from the young man. He was completely stunned and looked at her as if it were the first time he was seeing her.

"And to conclude this story," Hermione continued. "I just wanted to say that I am sorry for me having lie to you. When I met you the first time, I did not know who you were. It is when Harry told me your real name that I realized that you were about to play a more important role in my life than I would expected. Then Harry offered me this mission, and I agreed. I thought maybe I could help some people. However, I soon realized that you were not at all the one that I thought you were and… and I could not deny the feelings that I had for you. I like you very much Draco. That is why in the gardens in the evening after our dinner I left. It was too hard to pretend: because I wanted too you not to be a simple mission. I am sorry but it's better for you to know the whole truth about my account. Now I suppose you must hate me and that you would surely denounce me and arrest me, but that doesn't matter. It was too hard to bear this burden on my conscience."

The young woman suddenly stopped talking and the tension floating between them climbed from another notch again. They both stared at each other without saying a word. Hermione would have given everything to know what Draco was thinking. She disliked his silence. She would have preferred that he shouted, he insulted her, he reacted: everything but not this silence. Then she waited. She was trying to decipher the different emotions as they passed Draco's face, without any success. This man is an enigma, Hermione thought in suppressing a sob.

While she had lost almost all hope that things can be sorted out between them, a big smile lit up his face and he hold his hand out to her:

"Draco Malfoy, it's a pleasure to meet you." the young German said with a playful tone.

Hermione let out a sigh of relief when she understood that Draco wanted to start all over again and surprised herself by laughing while putting her hand in Draco's.

"Hermione Granger, enchantée." she replied.

Draco imprisoned Hermione's hand in his own and put soft kiss on it before continuing.

"So now that the introductions are made, you will finally be able to keep your promise. Let's visit Paris!" He cried out.

Hermione and he broke out laughing. They were so happy that they did not notice the man in khaki suit who were watching them from the other side of the street. Blaise shook his head and whispered:

"My God Draco, what have you done?"

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Thank you so much for reading!

_So what do you think of this new chapter?_

_Have a nice week !_


	7. Visiting Paris

_Hello everybody! Thank you to all of you who reviewed and read the previous chapters!_

_This chapter is one of my favourite. First of all, because I think it's kind of romantic (I hope so anyway.) and also because I tried to show my reader Paris' beauty. I honestly think Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and if you ever have the opportunity to visit this city, don't hesitate just go! I particularly advise you on visiting the Panthéon and the Versailles Castle, two masterpieces of History._

_Anyway, back to the story._

_Thanks a lot to my beta and friend: __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**_

_And special thanks to my lovely reviewers: __**lovefighter**__, __**Elven at Heart**__, __**miss quirky bookworm**__, __**desidreams19**__, __**GaaraXSakura1992**__, __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__, __**Clementine Angst**__, __**malfoyie456**__, __**amrawo**__, and __**Fozzy-Floozy**__. _

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Chapter 7: Visiting Paris

Blaise looked his friend and his partner walking away. Stricken with a sudden impulse, he crossed the street quickly, without taking the time to look around him and ran for the courageous young couple. He hailed Draco who turned sharply when he heard his first name being called. As soon as he saw Blaise, Draco lost his smile and his eyes misted over.

"Hello Draco." the young Zabini said while standing in front of the couple.

"Hello Blaise." Draco said with a very cold tone.

Hermione threw a perplexed and worried glance at Draco. She noticed that the young German in uniform, who was standing if front of her, did not look easy to get on with. Draco squeezed Hermione's hands even stronger than before. He had not released her for long minutes.

"I was passing by here, and I saw you on the other side of the street then here I am! I just wanted to say hello and talk to you for a moment in private." Blaise said while nodding at Hermione who was looking at him straight in the eyes.

The young woman immediately understood the allusion and told Draco in freeing her hand "I have to return a few books to the library. Will you meet me there in a few minutes?"

"Right, this won't take too long anyway." Draco said glaring at his friend.

Hermione briefly said goodbye to Blaise, went back to the university and rushed into it, looking very troubled. Draco, red with anger, yelled after Blaise who remained absolutely stoical "Blaise Good God, what are you doing here?"

"I could return the question Draco." Blaise said. "What are you doing with that girl?"

"It's none of your business Blaise. And now I ask you to leave us alone in the future."

"Oh yes it is my business too Draco!" Blaise sighed. "But believe me I would rather prefer not to know anything at all."

"What are you talking about?" The young man asked while his blond eyebrows furrowed.

"Your father," Draco's friend explained, "thinks that you have a strange behaviour recently, and he asked me to follow you to see what happens."

"I cannot believe it!" Draco yelled. "Why is he always interfering in my life?"

"He is worried about you."

"My father is worried about his social position." Draco said sharply. "That is the only thing that interests him."

"Maybe." Blaise said. "The fact is that you are in trouble now."

"Wait a minute." Draco said worried. "You don't intend to talk to him about her, do you Blaise?"

"Listen Draco, if he ever discovers that I may have lied to him, God only knows what he will do to me. You know what he is capable of Draco!"

"Exactly Blaise, if my father ever learns that I am seeing a French person, moreover, a French woman who attends classes at the Sorbonne University, you know that he is going to try to hurt her."

"You care so much about this little French woman?" demanded Blaise.

"She is just… different from other women that I met. I do not want to risk that something happen to her. Promise me that you won't say anything to my father Blaise."

"Draco, I can not…"

"Please. It is the only favour that I ever asked you. Blaise !"

"Fine." Blaise sighed. "I will try to hide it as long as possible, but I can guarantee you nothing."

"Thank you." Draco whispered. "Thank you very much. You can not imagine what it means to me."

"Oh I think I could. It is the first time in months that I have seen you smile. This girl must be really exceptional." Blaise said.

"She is." Draco said with a smile. "And actually, she is waiting for me."

"Go join her." Blaise said, squeezing the hand of his friend. "Take care of yourself. Honestly I doubt that I can keep your father away for a long time."

"I know." Draco sighed. "I will find a solution."

Draco squeezed one last time the hand of his friend and ran toward the university, hurried to find Hermione. Blaise remained thoughtful for a good amount of time. He wondered what he could make up to cover Draco's escapades. One thing is sure, he thought setting off to the headquarters of the Gestapo, this story will end badly.

Draco met Hermione in front of the entrance. She was worried and tense.

"Is everything all right?" she asked when she saw him arrive at her side.

"Yes, do not worry." he answered. "Everything is fine. Are we going to lunch?"

"Of course, I am starving." Hermione replied with a smile.

Hermione and Draco headed toward the Saint-Germain neighbourhood: a place that Hermione particularly appreciates. They lunched in a small brewery. Despite the fact that she spent some time with Draco, Hermione could not help thinking of what these friends would say when they knew the truth. She dispelled these thoughts from her mind and resumed her conversation with her companion.

"So what do you want to see this afternoon?" Hermione asked full of enthusiasm.

"I let you choose." Draco said with a smile. "As I said before, I know almost nothing of Paris. But you, what is the place you dream to visit?"

"Undoubtedly, the Palace of Versailles." Hermione replied. "This castle has made me dream for years, and not just the castle, but also the whole area. It is said to be absolutely magnificent."

"Have you ever been there?"

"I have seen it from away, but the castle and the area have never been open to the public and now the Germans invaded the premises. I hope they didn't sack everything." Hermione sighed.

"We are not savages." Draco said a glimmer of anger shining in his eyes.

"So tell me why the Louvres Museum was looted and why the most beautiful works of art have been sent to Berlin as spoils of war?" the young woman replied on the same tone.

"You can not understand." Draco sighed, feeling that they were getting involved in a dangerous conversation.

"Indeed, I do not understand." Hermione exclaimed.

She was angry, and she knew that it could ruin everything, but she had seen too many atrocities in recent years to act as if she were indifferent to what was happening around her.

"I do not understand how men and women who are similar in every way to me, can judge me, invade my country, restrict my freedoms, and kill my friends."

"It is a little more complicated than that." Draco muttered.

"You think so? You all feel superior to us. You think I have not seen how your friend was looking at me just before?" Hermione asked.

"It's not what you think." Draco said by regaining his self confidence. "Blaise came to talk to me to help me. My father is hired him to follow me."

"What?" Hermione asked while calming down for a moment.

"He thinks that I am behaving strangely at the moment. Then he asked my friend Blaise to monitor me and to report what I am doing. You see, you are not the only one to be observed all the time." Draco explained.

Hermione's anger fell immediately. She felt guilty and completely ridiculous. She knew that Draco was unlike any other German she had encountered but she was so afraid of being disappointed and of suffering that she had attacked him for no reason.

"Draco, I am really sorry. I…"

"No, please, Hermione add nothing." Draco interrupted. "I know that prejudices are hard to fight against, from your side like mine. But I just want that when we are together, we put them aside…"

"I agree." Hermione replied with a smile again. "Finally all of this does not tell us what we are going to visit. I have an idea but I am not sure this will please you."

"I'm sure it will." Draco said. "Tell me."

"No, I want to surprise you." Hermione laughed. "Have you finished eating? Can we go now?"

Hermione almost pushed Draco to the exit and dragged him into the streets of Paris. Fortunately, the place where she wanted to bring Draco was not very far. They arrived there about ten minutes later. Before turning to arrive in front of the monument she wanted to discover to her companion, Hermione stopped abruptly. She stood behind him, asked him not to move, and put both her hands in front of the eyes of the young man. He said nothing. He was too happy to feel this contact and especially to feel the Hermione's fragrance tickling his nose and her hot breath in his neck. She whispered in his ear:

"I assume that you have already seen this monument at least once in Paris, but I want you to look at it as if it were the first time you saw it, okay?"

"I will do it." he promised.

Hermione began to guide him and this strange couple walked a few meters before the young woman stopped.

"Now you can open your eyes." She whispered removing her hands.

Draco immediately obeyed and watched the horizon. He recognized the place immediately. He passed many times in front of it before he never took time to really see it. It was the Pantheon of Paris, which the Germans controlled of course, but whose visits were still tolerated. Hermione was right, it was the first time he actually watched it and the monument was truly majestic. Its cleverly studied architecture, its history, its strength, everything seem imposing at the Pantheon.

Suddenly Hermione's voice made him come back to reality.

"I have always loved this place. This is one of the most beautiful monuments of Paris I think." she said while contemplating the building.

"Can we go inside?" Draco asked.

"I hope." Hermione said. She took his hand and headed towards the entrance.

As Hermione said, the entry was still possible, particularly for a German officer, and they had no difficulty in penetrating the interior. It took Draco's breathe away when he entered the place. It was in a huge room with extraordinary dimensions and whose ceiling seemed to be miles from the ground.

"That's gigantic!" Draco cried.

"Isn't it! I love this room. It looks like a ballroom." Hermione said with a dreaming tone.

Draco smiled, walked toward the young woman and bowed in front of her:

"Mademoiselle, may I have this dance?"

"You are absolutely crazy." Hermione replied with a laugh. "What will people say?"

"We don't care!" Draco said while taking her in his arms.

He made a hilarious Hermione dance, while singing a waltz, under the gaze of curious and puzzled people who were present within the monument. After a few minutes, exhausted, they separated, and decided to catch their breath while visiting the crypt.

An hour later, they went up, chatting and Hermione began veering toward the exit when Draco stopped her:

"Can we go up into the dome?" He asked, wanting to extend his magical visit with the young woman.

"Well, yes." Hermione hesitated. "But…"

"But what?" Draco asked gently.

"I…I don't really like heights." Hermione explained in blush.

"You trust me, don't you?" Draco asked. "I promise you that I will never let you down."

She hesitated for a moment, then grabbed the hand that Draco was holding out and followed him in the narrow stairs that lead at the top of the Pantheon. Hermione was shaking like a leaf and was trying at all costs not to look below her feet. Eventually, they arrived at the summit and her fear vanished immediately when she looked around her. She had an absolutely stunning view over Paris.

She walked slowly to the cornice and leant with her back to it. Draco moved forward and stood beside the young woman.

"It is beautiful isn't it?" She said while lifting her gaze up to the young man.

"Beautiful." Draco repeated, raising his hand to caress Hermione's cheek.

He leaned toward her and laid his lips on hers. He winded his hands around the waist of the young woman when they deepened their kiss. Draco was holding Hermione so hard in his arms that she had to move aside from him for a moment.

"I am sorry." he smattered. "It's just that…"

"I know Draco." she replied, a smile on her face. "But I won't run away this time. I promise you."

While saying this, the young French passed her arms around Draco's neck and stood on tiptoe to come and kiss him. Hermione was telling the truth, this time, she didn't run away and stayed in his arms to kiss him for what they seemed to last for hours.

* * *

Blaise was in Lucius Malfoy's office, and he was terribly nervous. He was trying to hide it, but he was sure that the father of Draco had noticed it too.

"So Zabini, do you have something new to tell me?"

"Well, sir, your son is going quite well. He is just trying to make you proud of him."

"I see, I see." Lucius said sitting at his desk. "Blaise you're now discharged from your duties regarding Draco's monitoring. However, I will give you another mission. I want you to leave right away to Germany to deliver these two letters to my wife and Draco's fiancée.

Blaise raised abruptly an eyebrow. What was Draco's father cooking up? He nevertheless took the two letters and headed for the exit.

"By the way Zabini during the return you will take good care that nothing happens to my wife and my future daughter-in-law."

"I must lead them to Paris? Blaise smattered.

"Sure. My wife has to settle some transactions in Berlin but it should not be long. Moreover she's always said she would love to celebrate the marriage of Draco in Paris. It is the perfect occasion." Lucius said. "Of course you leave right now, without talking to my son, it will be a surprise."

"What a surprise!" Blaise muttered while getting out of the room.

The troubles begin, he thought while rushing into the car that was to lead him to the train station.

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I really hope you liked this chapter, and that I made you want to go to Paris! (In a few weeks I will return to Paris, not with a Draco unfortunately!)

_I was wondering if you ever imagined the end of the story. And if you did, to what does it look like? _

_Don't forget to review! They are very important to me!_

_Happy week-end everybody!_


	8. Revelations

Today, May 8th, it's public holiday in France and we are celebrating the victory of the Allies over the Nazis in Europe in 1945, so I thought it would be the perfect day to update my story

_Today, May 8__th__, it's public holiday in France and we are celebrating the victory of the Allies over the Nazis in Europe in 1945, so I thought it would be the perfect day to update my story. _

_I hope you will like this new chapter which is dedicated to __**all the American, British, Canadian and Polish soldiers who fought in France during WWII. **_

_Thanks a lot again to my wonderful beta: __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**_

_And a huge thank as well to my reviewers: __**4everSeventeen**__, __**lovefighter**__, __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__, __**Elven at Heart**__, __**Moonlight Gerl**__, __**Clementine Angst**__, __**amrawo**__, __**GaaraXSakura1992**__, __**Fozzy-Floozy**__, __**miss quirky bookworm**_

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**Chapter 8: Revelations**

Hermione was sitting at her desk in the library like every other day. However, instead of working, she was daydreaming. She dreamed of a gorgeous blonde soldier who has been haunting her mind for several weeks now. Seven weeks to be exact since their kiss on the top of the pantheon. Since that moment Hermione hasn't came back to earth. She was on a cloud nine and hoped never to come back down again. She did not want to think about the consequences of their actions. For the first time in months, she was happy. Suddenly a voice came out of her torpor; she immediately raised her face and lost her smile.

"Hermione?"

"Oh Harry, it's you!"

"Of course it's me." he answered, smiling. "You were expecting someone else?"

"No, no." Hermione said too hastily while standing up sharply.

"All right" Harry said with suspicion. "Let's hurry us, I do not like hanging around here, the Germans have tightened controls around the Sorbonne, and I became the number one suspect in Paris since my escape so…"

"I know," Hermione muttered by hastening toward the exit.

The young woman followed him without hesitation. She had concealed her relationship with Draco from her friends, and this weighed on her conscience. She had decided to confess everything, but was scared of what they could answer her: especially the answer of Ron, who was far too protective towards her. Only Ginny was aware about Draco, and had not said anything. She knew Hermione very well and knew she would never have immersed herself in such a relationship without having carefully ponders.

Harry and Hermione quickly arrived at the main entrance and were about to exit when they saw their friend Ron walking toward them and making them stop with a gesture.

"The Germans are guarding the streets on both sides and are controlling the identity of all persons they see on the street." Ron said with serious tone. "The exit is blocked, we can no longer escape."

"Oh shit." Harry muttered while stepping back.

"I told you that we shouldn't have got out." Ron said to Harry.

"We needed to pick up Hermione anyway." the latter answered.

"What is happening?" the young woman asked beginning to get worried.

"My family have been declared as a terrorist organization by the Germans." Ron explained.

"Ron, I am sorry, very sorry." Hermione said

"It's not your fault. But now that we have been declared outlawed, we are hunted."

"All Ron's family had been evacuated to one of their aunt's house. They will be safe there."

"What about Ginny?" Hermione asked with anguish.

"She refused to leave." Ron sighed. "We tried everything to make her change her mind but you know her, she is so stubborn. I do not know what it's going on with her; there is something which changed in her behaviour."

This time Hermione did not answer. Ginny had told her few days ago some great news that would upset her life and made her promise not to talk about it with anyone, so Hermione decided to keep silent.

"From where can we escape then?" Ron asked.

"I don't know." Harry said. "But surely not by this side anyway. Hermione, you who come here every day, you must know the other exits, mustn't you?"

"Of course, but if this one is monitored, the others would be too." she replied while thinking at the same time.

"I advise you on going down the basement of the library," said a voice behind them. "There is a small door hidden behind shelves that overlooks a narrow street, deserted most of the time. You should have no problem to get out of here."

The three young people turned and Hermione smiled when she recognized the rector of the university, an old man she loved. She thanked him and dragged her two friends to the basement, visibly surprised by the appearance of rector to the library.

"Oh, and of course, not a word of this to anyone, are we clear?" The director of the Sorbonne said mischievously while stepping away from them.

Hermione guided them and following the indications that she had been given, they soon arrived in front of the back door and came out quickly from the university. Once out, Harry and Ron took the matter into their own hands and led Hermione to Ginny's apartment, where they were all living now. The latter came to open the door, and as soon as she saw Harry she jumped into his arms, tears in her eyes. Observing this scene: Ginny pressing herself against Harry to the point that he was almost suffocating; Ron leaned down to Hermione and slipped in her ear:

"She does this every time she sees Harry. When I told you she was acting strange at the moment, I was not joking."

Hermione burst out laughing, followed the others in the apartment and walked into the living room where two people were already sitting. The young woman stopped when she recognized Neville and his friend Luna. The latter stood up immediately. He gazed at her embarrassed and said almost immediately:

"I am really sorry for what I dare to say Hermione. Je ne savais pas.I did not know."

"It's all right Neville. I understand what you have been through. Luna told me about your parents." Hermione said.

"Yes, in fact that is why I am here today." Neville said while nodding at Harry and Ron. "I was thinking that my network of resistance could be combined with the one of Harry. So we would be more united, better organized and therefore more effective and strong."

"Isn't it possible to speak about something else than war?" Ginny asked while huddling into Harry's arms. "It's been many months that you did not see Neville and since you are all going to live here, you will have plenty of time to discuss this later."

"Fine" Ron said. "If it can make my dear little sister happy."

Ginny threw a mocking glance at her brother who continued:

"By the way Neville, why did you apologize to Hermione? What happened?"

"It was nothing." Hermione quickly answered, hoping that she could put and end to this conversation very swiftly.

"No really I was out of the line." Neville said while sitting on a chair. "But seeing you eating with this German, and especially when after I went out to go home and I saw you kissing him in the gardens, it makes me so angry. I did not know that in fact it was a mission for the resistance."

When Neville finished his tirade, a scorching silent fell in the room. Hermione dropped her head and feared of meeting the disapprovingly gaze of her friends. She had certified them that she had done nothing with Draco and abandoning the mission because she didn't feel she would have been able to complete it, but now that her trick had been revealed, she was expecting the worst.

"You did…what?" Ron asked with a voice far too calm according to the young woman.

"Ron, please, don't freak out." Hermione began.

"Oh, but I am quite calm." he answered. "I just want you to tell me if what Neville said is true?"

"Yes, it's true." Hermione sighed.

"How did you dare lie to us?" He exploded while standing up sharply.

"I have not lied, I just omitted to tell you some things." she said feeling ill-at-ease.

"Ron, go easy on her." Harry said, silently asking to his best friend to sit.

"Hermione you told us that you no longer had any contact with him since the time you thanked him for letting me escape right? Did you lie to us for that as well?"

"I am really sorry Harry but..." Hermione smattered with tears in her eyes.

"How could you do this! That story is absolutely unbelievable!" Ron interrupted.

"How can you date this German Hermione? Do you realize what you're doing?"

"He is different. He is nice, gentle, caring and…"

"A German remains a German." Neville said with tough voice. "Not to mention that we are at war and that you belong to the resistance. How long do you think you are going to succeed hiding him this?"

"Do you really believe that I did not think before I immersed myself in this story? I know what I'm doing. I am happy. Haven't I the right to be happy?"

"Not with a German, not with this German. Hermione is the son of the head of the Gestapo." Ron said, who calmed down somewhat. "Neville is right, it will not last long before he discovers the truth about you and then…"

"He already knows." Hermione said while lowering her head, red with shame.

"I beg you pardon?" Harry asked getting back to his feet.

"He already knows that I belong to the resistance. I confessed everything to him."

"Here we are! We are all already dead." Ron cried out hiding his head in his hands.

Nobody talked for a while, and Hermione sat down again in her chair. She felt really bad. She knew that her friends would not take it well, but this was worse than what she imagined. Suddenly Harry asked in a cold voice, which he usually never uses with her:

"I need to know Hermione. Is it serious between you and this Draco Malfoy?"

"I…" Hermione smattered always staring at the tip of her shoes. "I think I am in love with him."

Hermione raised briskly her head when she heard Ron stood up sharply. She saw him running across the room. She heard the door slammed and realized he left the apartment.

* * *

Draco was in the office of his father. He was literally fulminating with anger against him. He just received a letter from his friend Blaise after more than a month of absence. The letter was handed over to him by another German officer. This had first surprised Draco, but as Blaise explained in his missive, his father watched and filtered his mail and he had no other alternative to explain the reasons for his departure than this letter. Draco flied into a rage when he learned what his father was planning to do and immediately ran for his office, the letter still squeezed in his hand.

"How dare you?" Draco yelled while slamming the door behind him.

His father was in a meeting with two other officers, but that did not seem to be disturbed by his son's appearance, and he kept standing in front of the office of his father until he dismissed the officers.

"You! How dare you interrupt my meeting in such a rude manner?!" Lucius cried standing up.

"Why did not you tell me that you were planning on bringing my mother and Pansy to Paris?" Draco asked without prelude.

"Who told you this?"

"It does not matter. Answer me!"

"First of all my son, I ask you to be more polite toward me in the future. As for the coming of your mother and Pansy, I just wanted to surprise you."

"You're lying!"

"No, I just thought that since your engagement lasted for a little too long we should celebrate the wedding as soon as possible." Lucius said while staying very calm.

"How many times should I repeat to you that I do not wish to get married." Draco replied.

"Oh please Draco. Would you stop trying to fool me? I am well aware for your French girlfriend."

This answer momentarily took Draco's breath away and his father continued:

"According to my informers, she would be very beautiful. They have not yet managed to learn her name, but it is only a matter of days now before I know the identity of your little French whore."

"I forbid you to call her that!" Draco yelled.

"Who do you think you are giving me orders?" his father cried out raising his voice. "Remember who you are Draco. I can never let my son compromising himself with such a trollop."

Lucius sat down at his desk and with a gesture pointed to the door:

"Now if you'll excuse me Draco, I have work to be done."

"I haven't finished with your father." the young man said. "I won't marry Pansy."

"You will. You do not want anything to happen to your poor little innocent French women you are seeing Draco, do you?" Lucius asked.

Draco turned abruptly and with rage brought down his fist on the desk of his father. The self-confidence of Lucius began to waver. He had never his son in such a state.

"If you ever even dare touch her, I can assure you that it will be the last thing you'll do." Draco said, clenching his teeth.

"Is that a threat?"

"Oh yes, "said Draco before rushing to the exit.

* * *

After Ron's departure, Harry and Neville, soon followed by Luna went in search of the young Weasley. It was not careful in these troubled times to walk alone in Paris, especially after the curfew imposed by the German authorities.

Hermione and Ginny remained in the living room of the apartment.

"Will you be all right?" Ginny asked bringing a cup of tea to Hermione.

"Yes do not worry for me. You should rather be worried for Ron. I do not like knowing he is out at this time."

"Me neither, but he will calm down eventually. However it's true that if you told them the truth earlier, we would have been able to avoid all this drama."

"I know. But you have not right of reproaching me these lies." Hermione said. "When do you plan on telling Harry that you are pregnant Ginny?"

Ginny sighed and walked away from her friend. She sat down in another armchair that was facing the one of Hermione.

"You do not understand." Ron's younger sister said. "I do not want him to worry about me and if he ever learns that I am pregnant, he will insist that I cross the demarcation line. I do not want to leave him. Not now."

"It will maybe work for a few months, but you can not hide him this for too long Ginny."

"I know." she sighed.

Hermione nodded and remained silent. She knew that Ginny was right, and that if Harry ever learns the news, her friend would be sent immediately in the South.

Suddenly knocks on the door were heard. Ginny raised her face panicked. It didn't look like the boys to knock that way. Hermione stood up, and said to her, trying to appease her:

"Do not worry, I'll get it."

She headed towards the door, breathed deeply and calmly opened it. She immediately turned pale when she saw two officers of the Gestapo in front of her. They entered jostling her, without saying a word. They went into the living room and stopped in front of Ginny, who seemed on the verge of fading.

"Are you Ginny Weasley?" One of them asked.

"You must have been mistaken." the young woman replied. "My name is Ginny Carceau. Not Weasley."

"Yeah right." the other German said. "Ralf…arrest her."

The second officer approached Ginny and began to tie her hands. Hermione ran towards them and pulled the soldier's arm.

"Let her go! ! She said she is not the person you're looking for! You heartless brute!"

Hermione kept trying to free Ginny, without taking care of the other officer who walked near to her. He grabbed her and tried to move her away from her friend. She struggled and cried for help. Ginny also tried to escape, but this only managed to get the two SS more angry. One of them suddenly clutched Hermione and slapped her so hard in the face that she fell to the ground. Ginny knelt down to her.

"Silly little bitches!" One of the officers cried out. "Everything could have happened much more calmly."

The other German tied Ginny's hands up while Hermione was standing up. As soon as she saw the position of her friend she rushed towards her, but the second officer stopped her, turned her in grinding the bones of her wrists and handcuffed her.

"I did not want to arrest you, but you do not let me other choice." he said by placing her next to Ginny.

"Where do we take them?" The other man inquired.

"To the headquarters of the Gestapo." the SS replied. "Commander Malfoy will be very happy to interrogate them."

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I really hope you enjoyed this chapter !

_As usual, I'm looking forward to read your opinions on it ! _

_Feel free to review ! _

_Bon week-end à tous! __(Have a nice week-end everybody !)_


	9. Broken Heart

_Hello everybody! Sorry for taking so long for updating this chapter but I'm currently very busy because my exams are due in two weeks (I'm so stressed!)_

_Anyway Happy Reading Everybody!_

_I would like to thanks all my wonderful reviewers : _**amrawo**, **MonicaBlack**, **Moonlight Gerl**, **Fozzy-Floozy**, **Elven at Heart**, **Clementine Angst**, **desidreams19**, **miss quirky bookworm**, **GaaraXSakura1992**, **xxxxcrazychickxxxx** (thanks for betaing this chapter ! You're the best and Happy birthday!)

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Chapter 9: broken heart

Harry, Neville, Ron and Luna arrived in front of the building where they were living. They had walked for hours and the youngest man of the Weasley, had finally calmed down. Besides, following the advice of his friends, he had decided to go apologize to Hermione; after all, Luna had said to him, we do not choose who we will fall in love with.

While they were a few metres from the entrance, they heard a German car, which was parked outside the building, moving off at top speed. They pined themselves against the wall and stood, motionless, until it had disappeared at the bend of the street.

Without even taking the time to consider whether there were still Germans in the building, they rushed into the entrance, all of them very worried. They climbed up the stairs hastily and found themselves at the door of their apartment, which was wide open. They immediately stopped in front of it. Luna said with her face even paler than usually:

"My God! What happened here?"

Harry rushed into the apartment, followed by Ron. Neville and Luna walked in as well. They heard Harry, desperately calling for Ginny. Getting no answer, they went around the apartment. They all found themselves in the living room.

"The furniture has been moved and the apartment was searched." Neville said.

"Maybe they had managed to escape." Luna tried to say.

All kept silent. Suddenly Ron ran out the room. He came back a few minutes later, his face was closed.

"The neighbours told me that two SS came here and that they have taken Ginny and Hermione to the Gestapo headquarters." he said with a tired tone.

"I have to find them." Harry said while rushing to the exit.

But he was stopped by Neville, who strongly clutched his arm:

"You can not go there, at least not without a plan."

"I will not let them rot away in jail Neville." Harry sharply replied. "You know how interrogations are led in Germany. I would not bear them hurting Ginny and Hermione."

"We will never enter with force in the headquarters." Ron sighed.

"So what? Are you going to give up?" Harry asked fiercely. "I thought you were more combative than that Ron!"

"How dare you say that?" Ron flied into rage. "It's my sister and my best friend we are talking about!"

"Sorry." Harry calmed down. "It's just that I won't stand losing them."

Silence fell in the room. Each of them was thinking about a plan that could help the two young women to escape. Suddenly Luna jumped from his seat and cried out, all happy

"I have a plan!"

"And it is supposed to reassure us?" Ron asked ironically.

"Of course yes." Luna replied without noticing the mockery in the young Weasley's voice.

"Explain your idea Luna." Harry sighed.

"Well, my grandparents have a laundrette." Luna began. "Very often the Germans come to drop their uniforms, which of course must be washed for free. Last week, two of those officers died in the explosion of their car and their uniforms have never been picking up, so…"

"So…" Neville continued who became all of a sudden animated. "We can use these uniforms to infiltrate the headquarters sent Ginny and Hermione free! Luna, my little rabbit, you are a genius!"

"Oh, please Neville!" Luna giggled.

"Enough Now." Harry cried while standing up sharply. "Where is this laundrette?"

"Only two blocks away from the headquarters of the Gestapo." the young woman said.

"Perfect." Harry said. "Let's go!"

"No Harry, not you." Ron replied.

"What do you mean "not you"? Harry exclaimed.

"Harry, you are the most wanted man in Paris." Neville explained. "Ron is right, we can not afford to take you with us. You will have to wait for us at the house of Luna's grandparents."

"No way." Harry yelled.

"You have no choice." Ron said with a tone which was soothing. "In addition, there are only two uniforms."

"I do not like it. I want to help you; I want to go to get Ginny. I can not stay calmly waiting without knowing what's happening…"

"Everything will be fine Harry." Neville replied. "I promise you that we will not leave the building without them."

* * *

The two SS had indeed led Hermione and Ginny to the Headquarters of the Paris Gestapo. They made the two women getting out of their car and, their hands still tied behind their backs, then they crossed the courtyard, heads held high. Draco went out right at that moment. His father had gone to the train station to retrieve her mother and Pansy, who should arrive in less than an hour in Paris. That idea did not at all please the young man. When he put a foot outside, his eyes turned towards the two prisoners who were walking towards him. His blood ran cold immediately when he recognized Hermione. They began to talk to him, but Draco was not listening a single word of what they were saying. The only thing he was seeing was Hermione's swollen face, and especially her eyes, filled with fear, which were silently begging him to help her.

"Lieutenant Malfoy? Do you hear me?" One of the officers asked. He has been talking to him for several minutes but did not get an answer from him.

"Oh yes, I was…somewhere else. I'm listening to you. Start again from the beginning."

"As I was saying, on the orders of your father, we arrested the young terrorist Ginny Weasley." the German said while designating the red-headed girl. "And the other girl intervened. So we arrested her as well. Your father ordered us to bring the terrorist to him once we arrived."

"My father is not there." Draco said, who was reflecting of a way to get out of there.

"What do we do then?" the soldier asked.

"Lock them up in a cell." Draco answered firmly. "I will personally take care for their interrogation. I'm expecting your report to be my desk tomorrow morning. Now you are both under my command. Congratulations, you just get promoted."

"Lieutenant, please, it is a mistake." Hermione implored while approaching Draco.

"Do not touch me." Draco cried out coldly while stepping back. "Bring them."

Draco immediately regretted his words when he saw Hermione backed away from him with horror, hurt by what he said. However he had no other choice. He could not afford that everyone in the headquarters would be aware of his relationship with the young woman.

The two officers walked away with a smile and went down to the basement to imprison the two young women. They untied Ginny and Hermione and pushed them in a dark and damp cell. A potholed bed composed the only furniture of the room. Hermione laid Ginny down on it so she could rest. The latter was looking completely exhausted. She was pale and his cheeks were hollow.

"Everything will be fine Ginny. We are going to get out of here, I promised you." said Hermione while sitting at his side.

"I'm so afraid Hermione." Ginny groaned. "You know how they lead the interrogations here. My baby…they will hurt my baby…"

"No!" Hermione cut off. "Nothing will happen to your baby Ginny. Harry and Ron will help us, I am sure. Do not worry."

Ginny calmed down a bit and closed her eyes, trying to relax while Hermione was slowly caressing her hair. Her mind was thinking at high speed. Obviously, Draco did not intend to help them. His coldness and his harsh words were just coming back to her memory, hurting her heart a little more. Harry and Ron were their last resort. They could never enter the walls of the building without being seen. She sighed quietly. How could they both get out of here alive?

* * *

Draco leant against the wall. He had stayed in the courtyard, looking for a way to get Hermione out of jail before his father's return. That means in less than half an hour. He had no time to lose but did not know how to do it without nobody realized the prisoners would be gone.

He decided to start by going down the basement to explain the situation to Hermione. He was about to enter the building when he banged into another German soldier. He swore and looked at the person who shoved him.

"You!" He cried out in recognizing the server that had insulted Hermione at the restaurant.

"Neville, what have you done?" the young man who accompanied Neville exclaimed.

"Now Lieutenant." Neville said while pressing his revolver against Draco's belly. "You will join us for a few moments."

Draco thought it was wise to follow them without any hitch, especially if they were there to liberate the two young women that have been imprisoned today. They led him to his office and shut the door behind them.

"Who are you?" Draco asked

"Ronald Weasley."

"Ron, why did you tell him your name!" Neville asked. "We are the one who are asking the questions here."

"He goes out with Hermione, he can help us." said Ron. "Where are they? Where are Hermione and Ginny?"

"They are locked in a cell in the basement. I will make you a letter of transfer. You show it the guards, and you take Hermione and the other girl outside on the account that you are transferring them to another jail. And above all things, just try not to speak with the other soldiers, they might discover the truth." Draco said as he rushed to his desk to write the letter.

"Why would you do that to help us?" Neville asked suspiciously.

"Because, believe it or not, I really care about Hermione, and I do not want something whatsoever to happen to her ."

"Well, then give us your letter!" Ron exclaimed.

"Are you actually going to believe that Ron?" Neville was astonished.

"We have no other choice Neville." Ron said. "Besides if he would have wanted to trap us, he would already call his little comrades to help him."

"Would you please stop talking about me as if I was not here." Draco said holding out the letter to Ron. "Hurry up; you do not have much time before my father's return."

Ron and Neville nodded and walked out of the room, followed by Draco, who decided to be on the watch. They were all stopped in their way when Blaise arrived in front of them, looking very embarrassed. The two French men immediately bowed their face and silently positioned themselves behind Draco.

"Draco, I am really sorry for not warning you earlier of the coming of your mother and your fiancée, but your father prevented me from…" Blaise began out of breath.

"It's all right." Draco cried out. He did not want the two people behind him hearing what Blaise was saying. "Let's talk about that in my office. Are you following me?"

"Of course." Blaise answered.

Draco and he disappeared and Ron and Neville stayed stood up in front of the door.

"He has a fiancée?" Ron murmured.

"Now it's not the time for it Ron." Neville said taking Ron off towards the basement.

A few minutes later, Draco ran out of his office. Draco was infuriated. He rushed in the direction of the courtyard:

"Why did not you tell me sooner than my parents were arriving in the car which was following yours? Bloody hell Blaise!"

"I am sorry; I did not think it was so important!" replied Blaise.

Draco burst in on the courtyard and immediately stopped himself, seeing his father in the front of Ron and Neville, who were still wearing their German uniform, and in front of Hermione and Ginny, who had been tied up again. Lucius Malfoy had the letter of transfer between his hands and spoke to the two false officers. Draco rushed towards them exclaiming sounding falsely happy.

"Mother! Pansy !There you are!"

"Draco, darling!" his mother exclaimed.

Draco's diversion was perfect and everyone turned to him. His mother held him against her. After these outpourings, his father looked at him suspiciously. He handed him the piece of paper.

"What is that? This order was signed by you!" Lucius said.

"Of course it was father. These two terrorists have confessed all their crimes, so I thought I could therefore transfer them elsewhere before they are sent to camp in Germany."

Lucius examined his son's eyes for a moment, and then a thin smile appeared on his face.

"I am proud of you Draco. You did an excellent job. I congratulate you!" He said.

"Thank you father."

"And now, don't you think it's time for you to kiss your fiancée Draco?" Lucius asked with a smile.

"Sure father." Draco said while turning himself to the young brown-haired woman who standing beside him. "Welcome to Paris Pansy. I am happy to see you."

Draco, while trying not to look at Hermione, who was watching the scene on the verge of tears, approached Pansy and laid his lips on hers. The German woman gave him a kiss passionately without Draco could not do anything. Lucius, happier than ever turned to Ron and Neville and ordered:

"Well! Do not stay stood here! Do what you have been ordered and take those two terrorists out of my sight."

The two French men nodded silently and pushed Hermione and Ginny towards the exit. Ron threw a worried glance at Hermione as they walked still trying not to be noticed by the other soldiers. She said nothing but he could see the tears flowed on her cheeks.

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So this is how ends this chapter!

_I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are really really appreciated! ___

_In the newt chapter, something dramatic will happen to one of the character._

_Any idea of what will happen__ to him or her ?_

_Have a nice week everyone ! Bonne semaine à tous !_


	10. Farewell

_Hello everybody! I'm so sorry I didn't update sooner but I'm currently having a lot of exam to do (at my university, I'm studying English ) and I'm so stressed! Anyway here comes chapter 10 ! Hope you will like it!_

_Thanks to my very special friend: __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**_

_And also to my dear reviewers (can't wait to read what you think of this new chapter!): __**blackrose4ever**__, __**amrawo**__, __**GaaraXSakura1992**__ (Thanks a lot to reread the chapter!), __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__, __**Clementine Angst**__, __**Elven at Heart**__, __**miss quirky**__**bookworm**__, __**tefy**__, __**desidreams19**__, __**MonicaBlack**__, and __**Fozzy-Floozy**__. _

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Chapter 10: Farewell

Ron and Neville, still dressed as German soldiers, rushed into the first German car they saw and drove away as quickly as possible from the building. Arriving in a deserted alley, they abandoned the vehicle and the khaki clothes. They headed towards Luna's grandparents' laundrette. As soon as they entered the door, they bumped into the grandmother of the young woman who hurriedly led them to the back of the shop where Luna and Harry were waiting. Harry was sitting on a chair with his face down, his tensed forehead giving his anxiety away. Once he saw Neville entering the room supporting Ginny, he rushed towards her and took her in his arms. He was hugging her so tight that Hermione had to intervene. She had stopped crying in the car and now sadness had given way to anger. She was feeling much stronger, having been bucked up by this sudden fury seizing her.

"Harry let her breath. She needs to lay down a bit." she said.

"Did they hurt you?" Harry asked to Ginny while laying her on a bed behind them.

"No, they did not touch me, I assure you." Ginny said in a low voice.

"How did you manage to help them escape?" Luna asked.

"Come." Neville said while starting to get out of the room. "Let me explain this elsewhere. Let them rest."

"Harry." Ginny stammered. "I need to speak to you..."

"We'll leave you alone then." Hermione said, dragging Ron outside. "We will make some tea."

"Why can't we just stay with them?" Ron exclaimed after Hermione closed the door behind them.

"Because they need to discuss things in private Ron." Hermione explained.

"What could they talk about they don't want us to know?" He asked.

"I told you Ron. It's a private matter, none of our business."

Ron groused and pasted his ear to the door. Meanwhile, Ginny had sat on the bed and watched Harry who was kneeling in front of her.

"What's happened Ginny?"

"It's hard to say." she replied with a low voice. "But before confessing everything to you, I want you to promise me one thing."

"You're really frightening me right now you know." Harry said while helping him back up a little.

"I want you to promise me that once I told the truth you'll keep me with you, that you won't send me away from you."

"What are you talking about? You know you are the most important person in my life Ginny. I would never want to take you away from me involuntarily, except to protect yourself, but as you refuse…"

"Promise me Harry…please?" the young woman moaned in holding him in her arms.

"Of course I promise you darling." Harry said, rocking her gently.

They have stayed in this position for several minutes. Ginny did not move, and Harry thought for a second that she even had fallen into a doze. Suddenly she gently pulled herself away from his embrace, and held the face of the young man between her hands. She placed a light kiss on her lips and whispered almost as for herself:

"I am pregnant Harry."

The young stared wide-eyed at her and opened his mouth. However not even a single word crossed his lips. Ginny repeated softly:

"I'm expecting a baby."

"Yes." he answered by regaining his consciousness. "A baby…"

He remained silent for a long time. He seemed lost in thought and Ginny began to speak again, trying not to rush him.

"I do know that it is neither the right place, nor the right time for it but I…"

"Don't say anything." Harry said. He came out of his torpor and gave her a hint of a smile. "Everything is fine now. We're together. We're going to have our baby. Everything will be fine, I promise you."

"You're not angry with me?"

"It takes two to make a child Ginny. Even if the future doesn't look all safe for us, I know one thing. I love you and that I will love this child just as much."

The young reassured woman, snuggled herself up against her fiancé. Harry immediately replied with a worried voice:

"Well now, how are we going to announce it to your brothers?"

Ginny laughed and replied that they would know it soon enough, and that he did not have to concern about them, she would protect him.

Ron, who was still stuck to the door, startled violently and turned toward Hermione who was making the tea.

"What!" he yelled

"It is not nice to listen to the other people's conversations Ron." Hermione exclaimed in mocking tone.

"You knew didn't you?" He asked

"I knew what?"

"That Ginny is pregnant."

"Oh that…" Hermione replied, suddenly looking embarrassed. "Eh… well yes I knew it. I do not see what all the drama is about…"

"The drama!" Ron exclaimed. "But Hermione open your eyes, we are at war!"

"You think maybe I did not realize that?" she replied aggressively.

"Forgive me." Ron said while calming down abruptly. "It's just that I never realized that it had gone so far between my sister and Harry."

"You thought maybe they would be content to look in each others eyes for hours?" Hermione asked, regaining his smile.

"No, but still they're…! A baby!"

"They will get through it Ron. Do not worry for them." Hermione said.

"I will always worry for them; it is part of my role as a big brother and a best friend. That's why I am also concerned for you, especially at this time." said Ron approaching his friend.

"I am fine Ron. I knew that this story would never go very far anyway. It's just that I would have imagined that it would end this way."

Ron held Hermione in her arms to console her and said:

"He is an idiot you know that right? Did you see the face of his fiancée? She looks like a platypus!"

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed with a laugh. "Do you at least know what a platypus is?"

"Well...not really! But it is really ugly anyway!" He answered in an attempt to maintain a semblance of seriousness.

"Thank you for being there for me. It means a lot to me you know." Hermione said.

"I know. You know what you mean to me Hermione. I could never let this man hurt my second little sister."

Hermione smiled slightly and hugged him. Ron's presence was calming her down. She closed her eyes for a moment, and it was Draco she imagined surrounding her with his arms, and that this story was only a nightmare. However, she reopened her eyes and met Ron's blue gaze her eyes moistened slightly and she suddenly realized that this time it was well…done, totally over.

* * *

After the false reconciliation scene, Draco, seething with anger and frustration, led Pansy and her mother at their hotel and returned directly to his apartment. He threw his raincoat onto the bed and headed to the bar. He poured himself a glass of whisky and realized that his hand was shaking. He left his glass on the coffee table and to pace up and down the room. He was thinking about Hermione. How could she ever forgive him this treason? He had never wanted to hide the fact that he was engaged, but it hadn't seemed necessary for him talk about it since he had never intended to marry Pansy. He had just accepted this masquerade to please his parents and have peace with this story. It was worse now. The fact that he is engaged, maybe Hermione could still forgive him for if he had had the opportunity to explain everything to her in detail but kissing Pansy, she would never, ever be able to forgive him for that.

She was right, he thought while grabbing his glass again and draining it in a smooth gulp. At the same time, had he had the choice? If he had not obeyed his father, the latter would have realized that they were up to something, and then Hermione would have been lost forever. In addition, his father was not stupid; he would soon realize that the two prisoners never arrived to their prison… Draco felt suddenly very depressed. Everything was going from bad to worse. He gave up his glass for a moment and grabbed the bottle of whisky at full hand. He drunk from the bottle for several seconds, and then suddenly shaken by an uncontrollable rage, he threw it violently towards the opposite wall where it exploded with loud bang. He watched forlornly as the pieces of glass rained, mixing with the whiskey before smashing onto the carpet.

"Draco!" a familiar voice exclaimed behind him. "What are you doing?"

"Mother! What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk with you and see where you live as well. What is going on? Why are you so angry? Is it my arrival that puts you in such a state?"

"Of course not mother. I was looking forward for you to come. I'm just being pressured enormously at the minute."

"I understand." Narcissa said while kneeling down to pick up the broken glass. "Your father can be very harsh sometimes."

Draco nodded and bent to help his mother. Suddenly breaking the silence, he asked:

"Mother, you are French… Don't you think it's cruel what we do to your country and your people?"

Narcissa Malfoy's face fell slightly and her gaze misted over for a moment, but she quickly regained a more dignified posture and replied:

"My country is now Germany."

Draco sighed and continued to clean the floor without adding anything. Once the floor had been cleaned and freed of any shards of glass, the young man settled his mother at the table and served her a cup of coffee.

"So, what did you want to speak about mother?" He asked.

"In fact, I rather wanted to give you this." she replied by giving him a small box.

"What is it?"

"The engagement ring that my father gave my mother. Before she died, she offered it to me and I have decided to give you for you to give it, your turn, to your fiancée."

Draco soon lost his smile. He dryly closed the box and handed it back to his mother.

"Thank you, but I do not see the use of this for the time being." he said avoiding the gaze of the woman sitting in front of him.

"What do you mean you don't see it's useful? Can you explain? Pansy has been waiting for years for you to give her a ring and decide to marry her!"

"And the fact that I don't want to marry her didn't cross your mind? Not even one single second?"

"What? But Draco …"

"No, I have enough of the lies mother. I won't marry Pansy. That is all."

"Then it is really true." Narcissa sighed whose face had become pale as corpse.

"What is true?" Draco asked.

"That you are having an affair with a Parisian renegade."

"First of all, she is not a renegade and secondly it is not an affair. I think…"the young man countered hesitantly.

"What Draco…you think what?" His mother insisted.

"I may love her." Draco whispered by holding his head in his hands.

"My God!" Narcissa exclaimed approaching her hand of his son's face.

"She will never forgive me."

"What she will not forgive you darling?"

"She saw me kissing Pansy a few hours ago…" Draco explained without raising his face.

"You mean that she is one of two female prisoners that we crossed while coming?"

"Yes. They were escaping. I just wanted to divert father's attention from them. And now what am I going to do?"

"Pray that Lucius never discovers the truth." Narcissa whispered, squeezing her son's hand in hers.

* * *

A week later, Draco was still looking for Hermione. He had visited all of the places where she was likely to be found, but hadn't found a trace of her. Hermione appeared to have left the city, and yet he knew that this was not the case. The exits from Paris were monitored and Hermione was now on the list of most-wanted Resistance fighters in Paris, which meant that if she tried to leave Paris she would be arrested immediately.

In desperation, he returned to stroll on the side of the Sorbonne hoping meeting her somewhere inside the building. Once he arrived at the university, he thought that it was probably not such a good idea as it seemed to be. Dozens of German soldiers were already there. Draco immediately remembered that his father had indeed ordered a police raid in the University to arrest any person who looked suspicious. He sighed and stepped back a little.

As for Hermione, she had been convinced by Luna to change her scene a little. She was now living with her friend in her apartment and had spent the entire week moping. However was Luna right: she could not go on like this forever. She should overcome the pain she was feeling. Moreover, Luna had given her a message from the rector of the Sorbonne who wanted to see her immediately. She had therefore decided to leave, accompanied by Luna. Although she was wanted, the Germans had only a brief description of her physical appearance, and as she and Harry have obtained new identity papers, she could venture out in the streets for a few hours in the day without having to worry about drawing attention to her.

She arrived at the Sorbonne at about noon and immediately stopped when she saw the flock of German soldiers stationed in front of the university. Luna and Hermione glanced at each other and shared an understanding look, decided to walk back.

It was at this moment that Hermione crashed into a young man who was standing behind her. She turned to apologize but the words died on her lips when she recognized Draco in front of her.

The young man could not believe his luck. He had been looking for her for days and now she was right there in front of him. He was about to say something when she strongly moved away from him and began to run away. He firmly grabbed her arm and forced her to look at him. Luna, who did not want to draw the attention of the German soldiers, had stepped back from them.

"We need to talk." Draco said.

"Let me go." Hermione scolded trying to free herself.

"Let me explain to you." the young man begged.

"There is nothing to explain, you lied to me and…"

As Hermione was raising her hand to slap Draco, a screech of tyres was heard and a car parked a few metres away from them. The German soldiers who were on the other side of the street immediately seized their guns. Draco, understanding that they would be soon caught in the middle of a gunfight, had barely enough time to catch Hermione and to push her to shelter with him before someone yelled "Vive la liberté!" and the first shots were fired. The Germans immediately retaliated and a battle broke out immediately. Draco lay down with all his weight on the young woman in an attempt to protect her.

When the gunfire stopped, Draco waited a few moments to make sure that there was no danger left and then stood up. He sat beside Hermione and asked with an unsure voice:

"Are you hurt?"

Hermione was not listening to him. She was kneeling on the cold sidewalk with her eyes filled with tears. She suddenly began to wail:

"LUNA ! LUNA! NOOOOO!"

She wanted to get up and run after her friend but Draco held her back. The gunshots could resume, and she could not rush like that in the middle of the street. He imprisoned her in his arms while she continued to scream and cry. Draco raised his head and finally discovered the reason of Hermione's hysteria. Her friend was lying down on her back, her blond hair scattered around her wan face, her lifeless eyes wide opened, surrounded by a pool of blood. Her blood.

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So what have you thought of this new chapter!?

_I hope you liked it! _

_Feel free to review! I just love reading what you think of my story!_

_Happy week-end to everybody!_


	11. Someone's missing

_Hello everybody! Sorry for not updating sooner but I'm in the middle of my exams (this morning I had an English phonology exam and tomorrow I will have an English grammar and lexicology exams! I'm so stressed!). Anyway thanks a lot for reading and reviewing last chapter! I hope you will like this one as well!_

_Bonne lecture à tous ! Happy reading everybody!_

_Thanks a lot to: __**Ninga Monkey - jellybeans**__, __**Fozzy-Floozy**__, __**amrawo**__, __**Elven at Heart**__, __**miss quirky bookworm**__, __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__ (You're the best!), __**Clementine Angst**__, __**Moonlight Gerl**__, __**MonicaBlack**__, __**GaaraXSakura1992**__ (next chapter is yours if you want !)_

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Chapter 11: someone's missing.

When calm returned in the street, Draco helped Hermione to stand up. She had gradually calmed down and stopped screaming. The tears continued to flow down her cheeks. She then knelt in front of her friend's body and gently closed her eyelids. Draco was still standing behind her.

"I am sorry Hermione." He whispered while glancing worriedly around him.

Dozens of German cars began to arrive in the main road, and Draco knew that soon they would begin to notice their presence. Hermione did not speak. She remained prostrate in front of Luna and gently stroked her hair.

"Hermione!" Draco told her pressing her shoulder. "We have to leave now."

"No." Hermione stammered. "I can not leave."

"Hermione, the street is filling with German officers; my father himself should come soon. I need to take you far away from here."

"I can not let her here." the young woman said.

"You can not do anything for her. It's over. Come. I will give orders. She will be taken care of. Her body will be brought to her family I promise. Now let's go."

Draco forced Hermione to stand up and dragged her into his car. He made her sit down and then walked towards other German soldiers to tell them to take care of the body of a young woman lying down in the middle of the street. He took the wheel and began to drive the car as far away as possible from the university. While he was driving, he glanced at his companion who remained desperately silent. He saw her red eyes and the tears that kept going down her cheeks. This was breaking his heart to know that he could do nothing to help her. At the same time, he was terribly relieved to see that she was not injured. He knew he would not have borne to see Hermione, lying on the street instead of her friend, bathed in her blood.

After what seemed to be an eternity for the two young people, Draco parked the car front of a magnificent building. He got out of the car and went to open the door. Hermione followed him to his apartment. Once inside, Draco forced her to sit on his bed and brought her a glass of cognac.

"Drink this. It should make you feel better."

Hermione kept the glass in hand for a few moments and then swallowed it in a stroke. Her face reflected disgust and she ended up with holding out the glass to Draco. He sat at his side.

"I am really sorry for your friend."

"It's not your fault Draco." Hermione replied with a weak voice. "The only one responsible is me."

"Of course this is not your fault! Why do you think that?"

"Because it is true." Hermione said crying again. "Luna wanted me to get some fresh air. She said that it would cheer me up to see other people. So I suggested we went to the university because I had to see the rector. I should never agree to go out. I knew we were not safe outside. This is all my fault."

"Listen to me Hermione." Draco said while hugging her. "You are not responsible for Luna's death. The only ones you can blame are these completely out of their mind members of the Resistance that have triggered gunfire in daylight on the middle of a street full of civilians."

Hermione answered nothing because even though she knew that Draco was right, she did not want to think that the resistance movement to which she belonged was able to do something so stupid and cruel. Draco rocked her for a moment while waiting from the alcohol to have its effect. A few minutes later, Hermione felt a warm feeling invade her and let herself fall completely against the German's chest. She ended up falling asleep and Draco laid her on his bed, covered her with a blanket and went to put a log in the fire to warm the apartment. Finally he sat down in an armchair in front of the bed and looked at the young woman who was sleeping.

She looks like an angel, he thought, handing a lock of her hair behind her ear. An angel with a broken heart, which suffered from having seen his friend die in a horrible way.

He began to detail carefully every detail of her face. How did her manage to spend all this time without her? Mentally, he swore never let her go away from him.

He got out from his contemplation by the sound of the door that opened. Panicked at the idea that it could Pansy or even worse his father, he got up abruptly and headed for the lobby. Her mother was hanging her coat on the wall.

"Ah it's you mother." he was relief.

"Of course it's me. You were expecting someone else?"

"No."

"Well, your father had to leave for an emergency, some gunfire I think, so I thought that during this time I could visit you and see if you were fine."

"Enter but please do not make any noise." Draco said while passing in front of his mother.

Although she was intrigued, Narcissa followed his son. She then discovered Hermione still asleep in his son's bed. Draco waved her to walk to the back of the room and to settle at the table. He brought her a cup of coffee and sat down next to her. Narcissa remained silent for a moment and simply stared at Hermione who was moving in the bed.

"It is not careful to let her sleep in your apartment Draco." she suddenly said.

"I know." he answered. "But I did not have other choice."

"What's her name?"

"Hermione."

"This is a nice first name. From what I see, I presume that you two reconciled?"

"Not at all." Draco sighed. "We were at the Sorbonne when the shooting broke out. Her friend Luna was killed in front of our eyes."

"Poor child." Narcissa sighed.

"Father put her on the list of the most wanted persons of Paris, I could not leave her there, and I knew that here she would be safe, that I could protect her." Draco whispered by turning his gaze to Hermione.

Narcissa glanced at her son and smiled. Draco noticed it and asked:

"Why are you smiling?"

"You seem to really care about her. I hope she knows that she is lucky to have you."

"You are wrong mother. I'm the one who is lucky she entered my life." Draco said.

"She must really exceptional for you to become so attached to her."

"She is. I am afraid we will never be together." the young man sighed while standing up.

"I am sure you will." his mother replied. "I know that this is not the right time to ask it, but…. When did you intend to announce to Pansy that you don't want to marry her?"

"I don't know. The sooner, the better, I think." Draco began. "But on the other hand as Father thinks that I am going to marry Pansy, he is not seeking to cause trouble to Hermione… mother I am really lost, I do not know what to do."

"You will find a solution Draco. I know that everything will eventually work out."

"May you be right." Draco said while caressing Hermione's cheek.

Narcissa and her son discussed for a long time until Draco heard Hermione call him. She had opened his eyes and seemed terrified. Draco approached her and calmly reassured her. She sat down and gazed at the blonde woman who was sitting at the table and whom face resembled a lot at Draco's.

"Hermione, let me introduce you my mother Narcissa Malfoy."

"- Bonjour." Hermione answered shyly who was wondering what Draco's mother was doing there.

"She will stay with you for an hour or two. I must go out to set some cases."

"I have to go home." Hermione replied trying to get up.

"No way." Draco said on a categorical tone. "You are not able to go anywhere. You stay here, and I take care of everything."

"Thank you." Hermione sighed.

"It's all right."

"No, what I wanted to say was…thank you for saving my life." Hermione stammered, with tears in her eyes.

"I will never let anybody hurt you, you know that right? I care about you too much to let this happen." Draco kissed her forehead. "I have to leave now but I will be back before dinner. Will you stay with my mother until then?"

"Of course." Hermione replied in blushing and in trying to get up.

"Stay lying down Hermione. I will bring you a cup of tea." Narcissa said. She stood up.

Hermione leant against the wall and Draco left the room quickly. Narcissa sat on the bed with her and began to talk while holding out her cup of tea to the young woman.

"You know that this is the first time I am doing this."

"Doing what?" Hermione asked.

"Drink a cup of tea on Draco's bed in company of his girlfriend who is also a member of the resistance." Narcissa said, smiling gently.

"Oh." the young woman replied. "So Draco told you everything about me?"

"I am very close to my son, and I must say that when I arrived and I saw you lying in his bed I thought you two reconciled. Draco told me the terrible tragedy that you have experienced. I am truly sorry for your friend."

"Thank you very much." Hermione said before immuring herself again in a heavy silence.

"You know, I can't pretend to know how you feel but we all have lost a loved one at one time or another in our lives."

"Who did you lose, if it is not too intrusive?" Hermione asked.

"My parents, when I was younger. They both died in a car accident. I was assigned to a brother of my father, who lived in Berlin. You know the rest: I met Lucius, I got married and I had a wonderful baby." Narcissa replied with a smile. "What I try to make you understand Hermione is that life goes on. Even if you suffer, there will always be people who will help you overcome the pain. I am sure my son will be part of these people."

Hermione nodded and drank a sip of burning tea that warmed her from the inside and unconsciously came closer to Draco's mother. For some reason she could not understand, Hermione liked Narcissa. She did not look anything like her husband. On the contrary, the young woman felt that the so gentle and soothing tempered of Draco was due to her mother. She warmly shook his head. She should not think this way of the young man, after all, he was still engaged to that German woman, who, as pointed out Ron, strangely resembled a platypus, and he had kissed her right in front of her eyes.

"Your son and me, it's a complicated story." Hermione sighed with a tired voice.

"You haven't forgiven this kiss story, have you?" Narcissa asked. "You know that if he hadn't done that, you would perhaps never manage to run away, and who knows where you would be now."

"I know." Hermione replied, suddenly swallowing her tears. "It is not so much the kissing that made me angry but the fact that he lied. He should have told me straight away that he was engaged. I would have understood."

"But would you have agreed to date him if you had known the truth about Pansy?"

Hermione kept silent and the mother of Draco continued:

"You see! I think my son likes you so much that he did not want to take the risk of losing you for such an unimportant story."

"The situation is worse now, and he is engaged, it is not without significance." Hermione said.

"If you had heard what he said when you were asleep, you would not say that. He cares for you a lot more than you might imagine. I have never seen him behave this way with any of the women with whom he got out. He had accepted this engagement because he knew he was leaving Germany and because he knew his father will leave him a bit of freedom. He is going to break up with her Hermione. And he will do it for you, no matter what it may cost him."

"I do not want him to get into trouble because of me." Hermione said in a blush.

"He won't get any. I will ensure that this does not happen."

"Why would you do this for us?"

"Because on the one hand, you seem very nice Hermione and on the other hand, I want my son to be happy and I don't thin he will without you."

"Thank you." Hermione said in outlining a pale smile.

* * *

Draco came into the laundrette that Luna's family owned. What he assumed to be her grandparents. Her father was standing, stiff and dignified in front of the two German officers who were announcing him the death his daughter.

When they saw him the two soldiers turned and welcomed him. Draco told them to leave and found himself alone with the family of Luna. He went up and introduced himself.

"Bonjour, my name is Draco Malfoy and…"

"We know who you are." Luna's father cut off with a trembling voice.

Who does not know? Draco furiously thought in his head. He continued:

"I wanted to present you all my condolences."

"Why the son of the head of the Gestapo would shift here in person to tell us this?" the grandmother asked.

"I was there during the gunfire." Draco stammered. "I couldn't do anything. I am sorry."

"As if you would have tried something to save her anyway!" the grandfather muttered.

"I assure you that…" began Draco.

"Please sir." Luna's grandmother interrupted. "We lost our only grand-daughter. We would like to make our grief with dignity."

"I understand." Draco said. "But I just wanted to add that we take every burial expense at our expense, you won't have to pay a penny."

"We do not want your money." The grandfather yelled. "All of this is your fault. You are responsible for the death of Luna. This is your fault and…"

"Papa stop!" Luna's father cried out. "Excuse him. Maman take him in the back shop. Thank you for your generosity, but we prefer to fend for ourselves. Thank you for offering to settle all charges."

"It was the least I can do. I did not know your daughter, but one of her friends told me she was an exceptional young woman. I am truly sorry for this tragedy." Draco said.

Luna's father nodded and Draco turned around. He was about to leave the store when he heard screams behind him. He turned around again and found himself face to face with Ron, who seemed very upset. Behind him was Harry, just as nervous, who had tried in vain to prevent him from standing in front of the German.

"Where is she?" Ron yelled. "Where is Hermione? Is she okay?"

"She is alive." Draco said.

"Is she hurt?" Harry asked.

"No, she is fine. Well as fine as you can be under these circumstances. She saw her friend die in front of her. By the way I wanted to tell you that you are completely crazy. Triggering a shootout in daylight! What were you thinking?"

"These people are not members of the Resistance." Harry said. "But extremists. We have no control over them."

"You should." Draco said. "Your friend is not the only victim of this carnage. Can you imagine the number of people, like Hermione and I, who found themselves in the midst of gunfire?"

"Where is Hermione?" Ron asked, not concerned at all by what Draco was saying. "Why didn't she come back?"

"She was able to go nowhere. Moreover, she is being actively wanted. I did not want her to be arrested."

"Where is she?" Ron repeated losing his tempered.

"At my home."

"Bring her back her." Harry ordered.

"She is safe in my apartment. I will bring her back when there would be no danger for her."

"You bring her back tomorrow." Ron said in a harsh tone. "I don't trust you, especially after what you have dared to do!"

"Hermione is the one who have to decide whether I am trustworthy and not, not to you."

"Please both of you." Harry said in interposing himself between the two men. "This is not the right time to have this kind of discussion. Tomorrow Malfoy, you will bring Hermione back."

"If she feels better, I will." Draco promised getting out of the laundrette.

* * *

The young German hurried to return his home. He wanted to see Hermione again and ensured that she was better. When he entered his apartment he saw his mother setting the table and Hermione cooking. He kissed his mother. She said them bonsoir and hastened out of the room to leave them alone.

"You didn't have to cook Hermione." Draco noticed.

"It's all right, it fills my mind." the young woman answered putting the dishes on the table. "I am not hungry, but you eat."

"You should eat something." the young man asserted.

"I tell you, I am not able to swallow anything, but you, you can. Besides you don't want to offend me by not tasting what I prepared you?"

Draco smiled and sat at table. He literally devoured what Hermione had prepared and after congratulated her on her culinary skills, and helped to wash the dishes, and obliged her to lie down again. She could barely stand up and seemed completely exhausted. While lying down she asked:

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"I have a couch. It would be nice. Don't worry."

Hermione chewed her lip, wanting to ask something, but not daring to say it. This would not be correct, she thought noting Draco was holding in less than eight inches from her.

"Is there something that bothers you?" He asked, as if he had read her mind.

"No… I mean… yes, I was wondering if you would accept to sleep with me…I mean, just to sleep, you understand?" she stammered red with shame.

Draco smiled and slipped in under the sheets. Hermione huddled up in his arms and leaned her head on the young woman's chest. She listened to the beat of his heart and felt immediately pacified.

"Your mother told me why you went out this afternoon." she suddenly said. "Thank you for what you have done for me and Luna today."

"You're welcome." Draco replied. "I won't let anybody hurt you Hermione. I will protect you. I promise you."

Hermione didn't answered but pressed herself a little more against Draco who draped his grip around the bust of the young woman.

"Hermione, I wanted to tell you about… Pansy, I am sorry, I should have tol…"

"Shush." Hermione whispered while kissing his lips. "I know everything."

"You do ? How?" Draco was quite disturbed.

"I have talked a lot with your mother. She is really nice." Hermione said.

"But…" the young man began.

"No, please don't say anything." Hermione said and then kissed Draco again. "Just hold me tight."

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So what do you think ?

_Did you like it? I hope you did! _

_I was actually wondering do you mind if in the next chapters I put some sentences in French (which I will translate at the end of course?)_

_Good luck to all of the people who are having exams !_


	12. Proposal

**_Hello everybody I'm so sorry for not updating sooner but I was very busy studying for my exams (I passed I'm so happy, one more year and I'd get my degree !) and I have been travelling through UK during July ! Anyway I hope you will love this chapter! And don't forget to review ! I love reading your point of view._**

_Thanks a lot to my friend:** xxxxcrazychickxxxx**, who always takes time to beta my chapters! _

_And thank you to my lovely reviewers: __**Elven at Heart**__, __**xiia0moonlight**__, __**MonicaBlack**__, __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx**__, __**Fozzy-Floozy**__, __**GaaraXSakura1992**__, __**Slytherclaw Coffee Ninja**__. _

**_Enjoy your summer everybody!_**

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Chapter 12: proposal

The month of April 1943 drew to a close and Draco was sitting in his car. He laid his hand on his jacket and felt the inside. He sighed, relieved to see that the object he thought he has forgotten was at its place. He put the contact. While he was driving, he thought again to all the events that had passed since Luna's death. First, Hermione and he had finally reconciled and since they were perfectly fine together. Although Hermione had been slow to recover from the death of her friend, she regained slowly to taste life.

Draco really had wanted to attend Luna's funeral, by far, of course. His presence would not be welcomed. Moreover, he knew that this would simply be too incorrect, to dare to appear in front of the family of the deceased. What moved him the most in the scene unfolding in front of him, was the silent pain and sorrow of Neville, Luna's fiancé. Draco had never really liked him, especially after having witnessed his vile behaviour towards Hermione in the restaurant, but to see him so upset and so worthy at the same time hurt the young German. Luna shouldn't have died, especially in a way so abrupt and sudden. She did not deserve to die, he thought. Draco had made sure not to be seen at the funerals, but Hermione knew that Draco had come and it did result in binding them a little more.

A few weeks after the funerals of the young woman; Draco had decided to put a definitive end to his engagement with Pansy. He went to the hotel where she was staying and had knocked hard on the door. When he heard a woman's voice ordering him to enter, he opened the door and walked into the room. He found Pansy, in her bathrobe, lasciviously lying on her bed, reading a random fashion magazine.

"Put it on the bed." the woman ordered without even looking at the young man.

"Pansy it's me." Draco said.

The young woman turned around and moved abruptly off the bed. She jumped into the young man's arms, who rejected her gently.

"I need to talk to you Pansy." He said.

"What's the problem my little Dracinou?" She asked, placing her arms around the neck of her companion.

"Pansy Stop it now." the young man said very annoyed trying to evade the embrace of his fiancé.

"But what's going on with you?" The young woman cried by stepping back a little, looking worried.

"Listen, what I have to say is not very easy so if you could please not begin with your comedies."

"But…"

"I said stop Pansy. Stop interrupting me all the time, please!" He cried out, losing his temper.

"Fine." She replied sitting on the bed. "I shall let you speak."

"We have known each other for years Pansy. We have always lived together. We are friends aren't we?"

"Of course we are Draco. We are even more than that, let's see!"

"Pansy no. We are not more than friends. We were always told that we were going to eventually get married, be happy together. But we won't be Pansy. We won't be happy because we can not be happy with someone we do not love."

"But…" the young woman stammered, understanding what her fiancé was saying. "I do love you. I always loved you and nothing will ever change that."

"But I do not love you Pansy. You deserve to be happy. How could you be if you are married to a man who does not love you? In any case, not as a husband should love his wife."

"I do not understand anything anymore. When I arrived in Paris, you kissed me. You looked pleased to see me."

"I was faking. I'm sorry, I know that you suffer, but I refuse to live in a lie even a minute longer."

"What is she called?" Pansy yelled standing up sharply. "I know that there must be another woman. You wouldn't leave me otherwise. What is the name of this whore?"

"Enough Pansy. There is nobody else."

"Liar!" she screamed. "There have always been other women. I am not that stupid Draco. I always knew, but you always got tired of them, and you always, always came back to me."

"Only because of my father and…"

"Wrong! What does she have that I don't? Tell me! Answer me!" She cried out, clutching the uniform of Draco.

"My God, you are completely crazy." Draco said trying to free himself.

"You can't to leave me. Do you hear me? You can not leave me alone.' Pansy said crying and gasping at the same time. "If you leave me for this bitch I will find her, I swear to you, I will kill her. Do you hear me, I kill…"

"I am sorry Pansy." Draco answered while eventually managed to free him. "I did not mean to hurt you."

Pansy collapsed to the ground and continued to cry and beg Draco not to leave her while the young man quietly left the room. The threats of the young woman did not worry him. She had always openly threatened Draco's girlfriends but never had the courage to undertake what she was saying. Moreover, nobody except Blaise and his mother was aware of his relationship with Hermione. Of course his father knew he was seeing someone but thank God, he was unaware of who she was. Even so, the young man felt really bad. He knew that Pansy had been in love with him for years and that this separation would break her heart but he had no choice. He had to be honest, towards Pansy, towards himself and especially towards Hermione. He would eventually find a way to ensure that his father would not be too affected by the news.

* * *

Draco warmly shook his head. He was still driving and remembering his break up with Pansy, he did lose his concentration and he almost lost control of his car in the middle of the road. But he needed his mind to focus on what was going to happen soon.

He parked in front of a dilapidated old shack. He turned off the engine and quickly got out of the car. He walked quickly and skirted around the house to go through the garden behind. He entered the room through the back door hidden behind a lush ivy and silently entered the kitchen. The room was plunged into darkness and Draco groped about to find his way. Suddenly, he felt the barrel of a gun pointing on his back, and a voice behind him who ordered him to turn around while keeping his hands clearly visible on the sides. Draco did as he was commanded and when the man who was in front of him recognized him, he lowered his gun and exclaimed:

"All right, it's Malfoy, you can come."

Harry, Ginny and Hermione appeared suddenly in the room. The latter rushed into the arms of Draco while Ron put away his revolver in its holster while grumblingly:

"I still can not believe you gave him our address Hermione." he said while Draco was holding tight the girl in his arms.

"Ron, please!" the young woman answered. "You know he is trustworthy."

"-If you say so." Ron said in sitting at the dining table, while Harry and Ginny were preparing tea.

"After all this time, I can not understand why you hadn't realized that I would never anything that could put Hermione in danger." Draco said.

"Habits die hard." Harry said while putting a cup in front of the German. "I think we have already done much in greeting you at our table."

"Don't listen to them Draco." Ginny said by pouring him some tea in his cup.

"You seem to go well." Draco replied in observing Harry's fiancée who had regained strength and who was now bearing proudly her little rounded belly. "How is the baby?"

"He is fine." Ginny said while sitting on Harry's lap and posing her hand on her stomach.

"I brought you some things." Draco suddenly exclaimed. He pointed out the bag he had dragged from his car. "It's just a little food, that I thought it might please you."

"That is great Draco." Ginny answered in pulling out a chocolate bar from the bag. "Thank you very much."

"Information on the transfer of prisoners would have been more useful." Harry noticed, while Ron threw himself onto the chocolate.

"We have already discussed that." Draco sighed. "I can not betray my people. Not to mention that I could not hide that from my father for a long time."

"Do you know what they do to the prisoners' camps in Germany Malfoy?" Harry asked, his eyes looking very severe. "Women and children are starving, the men must work from morning till night without rest, they are all humiliated, mistreated, hurt…"

"Enough." Hermione interrupted, who felt that the conflict was rising in the room.

"I know what's happening over there Harry, but alone, I can not do anything to help." Draco said with a weary tone.

"Of course, it's much easier to close your eyes on what your people do than to act." Harry replied. He then left the room without adding anything.

A silent rained down in the kitchen. No one dared look at Draco who remained silent as a carp.

"I am sorry Draco." Ginny said. "He is very tense right now. Neville has been arrested. According to our information, he is going to be transferred to Germany within a week. He was lucky enough not to be sentenced to death."

Draco nodded and left the room to go and see Ginny's fiancé. Ron got up too and said before leaving the kitchen:

"Take care of Hermione, and above all bring her there back before nightfall. Be careful not to be followed and…"

"Ron, everything will be fine." Hermione cut off. She stood up and kiss him on the cheek. "Draco is protecting me you know?"

"Right, if you say so…" Ron muttered.

Hermione smiled and held out her hand to Draco:

"Shall we go?"

"Of course". The German officer said in squeezing her hand in his.

He led her to the car and settled her comfortably on the front seat before taking his place and started the vehicle.

"You really don't want to tell me where we are going?" the young woman asked mischievously, as they have been driving for more than an hour.

"If I tell to you, it will no longer be a surprise." Draco replied on the same tone.

Hermione roared with laughter and Draco took one of her hands in his and put a slight kiss on it.

"It's good to hear you laughing." he said by keeping her hand prisoner.

"It's good to see you smile too" Hermione answered.

After a few minutes, Draco finally stopped the car and Hermione glanced curiously around her. She did not know where they were but it did not seem to matter to her. Hermione knew that if Draco had taken her here and had insisted on driving so long is that it would be worth it. They came out of the car and Hermione paused a moment to observe more closely the place. They were on a path that led to a huge park closed by a small wooden fence.

"Do you remember when, during our first date, I asked you what was the monument you would like to visit the most?" Draco asked suddenly in the direction of the barrier.

"Yes, and I answered you the Versailles Castle." Hermione said.

"Unfortunately, as you told me as after, the place had become a headquarters of the German army, I can not bring you there to visit it but I thought you might like to visit the park and hamlet of Versailles instead. There is nobody who goes through there during the day."

"Draco, it's wonderful!" Hermione replied while pouncing on him. "It is such a great gift."

Draco smiled and opened the gate. He let Hermione walk in front of him, and closed the door. They walked a long time admiring the century-old trees, groves and wildflowers. After around a half-hour, they finally arrived at the hamlet of the Castle. The beauty of the small village, perfectly preserved through the ages, took Hermione's breath away.

"It's really beautiful." Hermione exclaimed several times by turning on herself for having the pleasure to contemplate the surroundings.

Draco shook his head and was content with smiling. Seeing Hermione so happy melt him completely. He smiled and followed her in her exploration.

"It's wonderful." the young woman kept repeating. "Did you know that it's Queen Marie-Antoinette, which had made this hamlet built to be able to flee and escape from the pressure that the court exercised over her."

"No, I did not know, you taught me something today." Draco said.

"I never thought I would have the chance to come here one day. And it's all thanks to you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Hermione exclaimed by jumping into Draco's arms who almost fell over backwards.

-"You know that if you really want to thank me a kiss would be more appropriate than trying to suffocate me." he answered with a laugh.

"Your wish is orders." Hermione said while pressing her lips on those of the young man.

Draco answered with ardour to her kiss and then realizing that if he ventured in that direction, he could never put his plan into action, he stepped back abruptly. Hermione looked surprised and waited for him to give her an explanation.

"I am sorry, but I have something very important to tell you, and if we start to kiss now, I am not sure I will have the strength to admit it to you."

"Oh, all right then." Hermione said. She was now worried about the future of their conversation.

"Come and sit down." he said. He guided her towards the small stone bridge that was in the middle of the hamlet. "You haven't actually thought that I brought you here just so you can admire the village and the park?

"Well, I may be stupid, but yes, this is what I thought." Hermione replied, looking upset.

"You know I never do anything without assuring me counterparty." Draco said with a smile. "In making you visiting the hamlet, I thought it would put you in good mood to tell you that…"

"You are about to leave me, aren't you?" Hermione exclaimed. "I knew it. I knew it could not last. However I thought we were… you know fine together. I know that our history is difficult but nevertheless, I care for you and…" Hermione began. She was now utterly panicked.

"You know, I would never have imagined that you were such a chatter-box the first time I saw you." Draco said with a smile.

"I am not a chatter-box." Hermione replied, red with anger. "It's true that I have a strong temper and that I fly into rage rather easily, but I am certainly not a…"

"I love you." Draco said cutting off Hermione in the midst of her tirade.

"wh… you… what?" Hermione stammered.

"What I wanted to tell you is that I love you."

"But…" the young woman tried to speak. She was visibly in a state of shock.

"No, please let me finish. I know you always have doubts about me and this is normal but I want to be totally honest with you. I broke up with Pansy a few weeks ago. And what I just confessed you, the fact that I am absolutely crazy in love with you, I never told this to anyone before. I know it may sound stupid, after all, we only have known each other for a couple of months, and yet I can not, or rather I do not want to imagine my life without you by my side."

"Draco…" Hermione began with tears in her eyes.

"You have said it yourself, our history is complicated and full of pitfalls, but I want to believe in it, and most of all, I want to tell myself that come what may, we will always be together, always there one for the other."

"I will always be there Draco, I promise you, always." Hermione said. She kissed him tenderly and added: "I love you."

A radiant smile appeared on the face of the young man. He took Hermione's face in his hands, his forehead touching hers, and closed his eyes for a moment.

"I have never felt this way to anyone before Hermione. You are someone so exceptional, so strong, natural, beautiful, intelligent and caring for the others. You made me better. I no longer feel ashamed of what I am now, and it's all thanks to you. Thanks to you." He repeated while kissing her softly.

The tears that Hermione had unsuccessfully tried to contain now flowed abundantly on her cheeks and a smile appeared on her lips.

"What I try to ask, in a manner not very romantic I confess, I did not put candles, I did not kneel, but to my defence, I must say that this is the first time I'm doing that, what I wanted to ask Hermione is: Will you marry me?" Draco asked by pulling out the box from his jacket and opening it in front of the young woman, revealing the beautiful ring his mother had given him to give to the woman in his life.

Hermione looked alternately at ring and then at Draco, whose face was marked by apprehension and anxiety. Her tears had intensified. She kept silent for a moment and then stammered:

"Draco, I…"

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I hope you liked it!

_So what do you think, is she going to say Yes or No ?_

_Bye bye !_


	13. So soon

_Hello everyone!_

_I'm very sorry for not updating this chapter sooner but I was in holiday (I know again!) in Rome ! Anyway I'm back and so is this fanfiction ! I hope you will like this chapter ! _

_Thanks a lot to **Nia** who betaed this chapter! Thanks thanks !_

_And thank you very much to all my readers and to my lovely reviewers: _**Snape is Forgiven**, **plasticlittlespastic**, **ilovenat1995**, **tefy**, **malfoyie456**, **Arrgh-matey**, **Elven at Heart**, **xxxxcrazychickxxxx**, **xiia0moonlight**.

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Chapter 13: so soon.

"Draco, I…" Hermione stammered. "I don't know what to say…"

"Well, a "yes" would be a good start." Draco said, smiling.

"This is all so sudden." the young woman whispered.

Draco immediately lost his smile and melted his eyes to Hermione's who seemed really confused.

"I see." he whispered.

"Everything has happened so quickly." she continued. "However you are right about one thing: I do not want to spend one minute away from you. This war will have at least taught me something: live without regret, and enjoy every moment of happiness that life can offer you. You brought me more happiness within a few months than I ever had received it during the past two years."

"Are you trying to refuse my proposal gently?" Draco asked painfully.

"Yes." Hermione simply replied.

Draco lowered his head, his eyes lost their sparkle, and his face fell. He was about to put the ring back in his jacket and stand to move away when he heard Hermione speak again:

"Yes, I want to marry you." she said with a smile.

Draco suddenly raised his head and stared for a moment at the young woman. He felt himself suddenly relieved of a great weight when he saw her smile, and when he felt her little hand touching his.

"Are you sure?" He asked. "Because once I have placed this ring on your finger, you will never be able to get rid of me!"

"Let me think… hum… my answer is still yes."

Draco immediately regained his smile and placed the fine ring to Hermione's finger. He leaned toward her and kissed her passionately. He held her so tightly in his arms that they almost fell from the bridge and into the small, fish-filled stream below. They only just regained their balance and began to laugh while sitting up in a more stable position.

"I knew that you were going to say "yes". Draco said with a pompous voice.

"Oh yeah?" Hermione exclaimed with a laugh. "And may I know why you were so confident?"

"Because of my irresistible charm of course." The young man replied. "Let's be honest, I am very handsome, rich, charming, and intelligent man."

"You forgot to say modest." the young woman said, smiling.

"You are really sure of what you do Hermione?" Draco asked. He suddenly became very serious. "Our life will not be easy."

"I know." she replied. "I won't go back on my decision. I truly want to become your wife."

A few hours later, Draco dropped Hermione off in front of the old dilapidated house. She was about to get out of the car when the young man seized her arm to hold her back.

"Don't you want me to come with you?" He asked.

"I think it is better if I announce it alone. I do not want to end up a widow even before I even get to marry you." Hermione replied with a laugh.

"They would not dare!?" Draco exclaimed, half worried for his safety all of a sudden.

"They are really… protective with me." said Hermione.

"Yes I have noticed that." the boy said. He kissed his fiancée one last time and added. "Take care."

"Don't worry." Hermione replied. "They are not monsters."

* * *

"YOU…WHAT?" Harry yelled when Hermione announced the news a few minutes after returning to her house.

"Harry, try to understand me…" the young woman began.

"Oh, but I fully understand Hermione. You are going to marry an enemy, that's all there is to understand."

"But I…"

"Yes, I know, I know, you love him. But Hermione when it was only a few dates here and there, we didn't say a word, but a wedding! Do you realize what you commit yourself to?"

"Of course I do." the young woman replied. "Don't you think that perhaps I didn't think before saying yes? I don't want to miss my chance to be happy."

"You really believe that you will be happy with a German? What will become of you after the war ? How do you think his father will react when he hears the news? Geez Hermione, you are a resistance fighter, he is the son of the head of the Gestapo!"

"I know our lives won't be easy but I want to try. I'm sure that if I let this chance pass, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

Harry shrugged and sat down next to Ginny and Ron, who had remained strangely silent since the beginning of the conversation. He took his head between his hands and muttered:

"We did not need this now, with the Neville's arrest and everything…"

"Harry, I am sorry but I won't change my mind, whether you support me or not." Hermione said.

"You can be really stubborn, you know." Harry cried, sketching a semblance of a smile. "I just wanted to let you know that I won't approve this marriage, that's all."

"Thank you for your frankness Harry. I appreciate it, but you Ginny and Ron, what do you think?"

"I do not know." Ron replied. "You have only known him for a few months, isn't it a little too soon?"

"I think it's great!" Ginny said, while squeezing Hermione's hand to support her. "He really seems to care about you, and I think you will be very happy together."

"Thanks Ginny." Hermione replied warmly.

Silence reigned in the room for a moment. It was suddenly broken by Ron who asked:

"When is the ceremony planned?"

"Saturday." Hermione said.

"What?" Harry cried out, standing up suddenly. "You don't mean this Saturday do you?"

"Yes I do."

"But Hermione, it's in less than four days!" Ron exclaimed. "Now it is really too early."

"Listen, I am grown-up person and I can make my own choices now. I will marry Draco on Saturday. I want you to be there, you are the only family I have left here, but I perfectly understand that you don't want to come."

"I will be there." Ginny said. "I won't miss the wedding of my best friend for the world."

"Ginny thank you, but I don't want you to risk leaving the house alone." Hermione said.

"She won't be alone." Ron replied. "I'll go with her, if only to see if this Malfoy is really well-behaved with you."

"Thank you Ron, it means a lot to me."

Ron blushed and lowered his head. Hermione was now staring at Harry, who had not yet answered.

"All right, I'll come." he groused. "I don't want to be the only one to miss the party."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." Hermione exclaimed while hugging her friend.

* * *

Draco returned home, with his heart full with joy. Things were working out significantly. Hermione had agreed to marry him, he had finally gotten rid of Pansy and his father seemed to have assumed the news relatively well, which did not really reassure the young man upon reflection. His father should have exploded with anger and instead, he had remained calm and had told his son he had to do whatever he thought might be the best for him. It did not look at all like something that Lucius Malfoy would do. He was obviously hiding something, Draco thought while entering his apartment.

Her mother was waiting anxiously for him in the kitchen. As soon as she saw him, she rushed towards him.

"Where were you before? I was so worried. You have been gone all day without giving any news."

"I was with Hermione." Draco replied calmly. He sat down with his mother on one of the chairs. "Do you want some tea?"

"Yes I do please." Narcissa answered.

"So you wanted to see me mother...Is there a problem?"

"Yes…Pansy."

Draco's hand tensed up on the handle of the kettle while pouring hot water into his mother's cup. He grimaced disgustedly and continued:

"What has she done now ?"

"She decided to stay in Paris…at least for some time."

"I can't believe it!" Draco cried. He was getting very frustrated. "She therefore did not understand that I don't want to see her any more."

"I think she is trying to hang on to what she has left." Narcissa explained.

"She should understand that she has nothing to expect from me, especially now." he answered, sitting in front of his mother.

"What do you mean exactly?"

"Well, it's rather difficult to confess. I am sure you won't approve it but …"

"Come to the fact Draco please."

"Well… I proposed to Hermione."

"You did what? Narcissa asked, taken aback.

"I asked her to become my wife."

"My God Draco! I will not lecture you. I suppose you haven't made this decision without thinking about it beforehand…However, you are both so young."

"I was not so young when you wanted me to marry Pansy if you remember." Draco answered venomously.

"I know." Narcissa sighed. "I'm only trying to make you happy Draco."

"I am happy with Hermione mother. I am really happy."

"This is the most important thing for sure." she said. "What did she answer?"

"She said yes of course." Draco replied with a smile. "We are getting married in four days."

"So soon Draco, maybe you should wait a…"

Narcissa threw a sidelong glance at his son and seeing Draco frowned, she preferred to leave her sentence unfinished.

"May I attend the ceremony?" Narcissa asked with a hopeful tone.

"What ceremony?" Blaise asked entering the room at this precise moment.

"I'm marrying Hermione on Saturday." Draco explained.

"It is some kind of a joke?" Blaise asked. He had frozen in his movements.

"No." Draco simply answered. "I'm getting married. If you want to come, you are welcome, but of course, not a word of this to my father."

"Of course." Blaise said, sitting down next to Narcissa. "As for my presence, I will think about it."

"Why are you here? I thought you were working all day." Draco asked.

"Your father asked me to inform you that he wanted to see you immediately." the young German explained. "He said that it was very urgent. A car is waiting for you outside."

"It would be inappropriate to make him wait, don't you think? Draco asked.

"Probably." Blaise replied. "Besides he is in a foul temper since this morning."

Draco shook his head, grabbed his coat and hurried out of his apartment. Blaise was right, when his father was in such a mood it was better not to make him wait.

He got up in the car and arrived about twenty minutes later without much incident at head quarters of the Gestapo.

He went on the third floor, where the office of his father was and gently knocked on the door. He heard a gruff voice ordered him to enter and opened the door. His father stood up, majestic behind his desk and suddenly raised his face to see who dared disturb him in his work.

"Well, it's about time. I almost expected." Lucius said ordering his son to sit in front of him.

"I am sorry father. I was having tea with mother and we lost track of time."

"That's enough with complaining, I have very important things to tell with you."

"Yes father?"

"I want you invest more in your work, so that you can climb the levels of our hierarchy faster."

"We have already discussed this father." Draco sighed. "I already deal with the administrative paperwork of the Gestapo because you forced me, and I don't want to get involved more than that."

"Read this." his father ordered Draco, holding him out a bundle of leaves without taking into account his previous remark.

Draco glanced at the different papers, and felt his pulse suddenly accelerate recognizing what it was.

"Death sentences?" Draco stammered. His eyes stopped on one of the papers, which bore the name of Neville Longbottom.

"Exactly."

"But…I thought you intended to send them to prison camps in Germany?" the young man asked.

"I changed my mind. You must eradicate vermin before it spreads." Lucius said.

"What do you expect me to do exactly?"

"I want you to sign these convictions, and you will take personally care of executions."

"Never!" Draco violently cried. "I won't support this slaughter."

Lucius Malfoy did not answer, and stood up slowly. He walked towards the window and gazed outside.

"Paris is a beautiful city, isn't it?"

"Of course it is." Draco said on the defensive. "Probably the most beautiful city I have ever seen."

"I am sure that you will miss it if you must leave as well as this little French bitch you became infatuated with."

"What are you trying to tell me father?"

"I have been contacted by senior officers from Berlin. Operation Barbarossa is not going as well as expected. They need qualified officers to command the troops in Russia. I first thought of sending Zabini there but since you refuse to acknowledge your responsibilities here, I think a few changes would be better for you.

"Do you want me to go in Russia?" Draco asked painfully.

"You are the only who could decide to stay here or not Draco. You just have to sign these papers, and I'll leave you to live the life that you want here, in Paris."

Draco lowered his head. He couldn't believe that his father was so cruel. He knew perfectly well what was happening in Russia: the German army was struggling to survive in the extreme cold, and the living conditions were deplorable. But the young man's ethics prevented him from taking the pen that was in front of him. How could he ever forgive himself for the death of these men if he obeyed his father? On the other hand, if he was sent to Russia, how will he able to keep the promise he had made to Hermione, that he will always be there for her and to protect her? He could not leave her alone. Imagining her unprotected, with his father who killed every resistance fighter he managed to capture, made him feel distinctly nauseous. Suddenly, the image of Hermione, led to a firing squad prevailed in his mind. No, he would never give up on her. It doesn't matter who he had to sacrifice to achieve it, but he would protect her, at all costs. He needed to.

Without even really realizing it, he seized the pen and imposed his signature on the document condemning Neville to death.

"That's my son." Lucius said while squeezing his son's shoulder. "You made the right decision."

_

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Thanks a lot for reading!

_So what do you think?_

_Is Neville going to die ?_

_Let me know! _

_Bises to everybody._


	14. Wedding Day

_Hello everybody, I hope you are all fine!_

_I hope you'll like this chapter; it's one of my favourite actually!_

_Thanks a lot to all my readers and my reviewers! (**dracocullengirl**, **Elven at Heart**, **Arrgh-matey**, **xxxxcrazychickxxxx**, **Snape is Forgiven**, **xiia0moonlight**, **miss quirky bookworm**, **tefy**, **plasticlittlespastic**). You guys are the best!_

_And thanks also to **Nia**, who took time to beta this chapter!_

_Happy reading!_

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Chapter 14: Wedding day.

Four days later, the long awaited day finally arrived. Draco had managed to find a little church in a quiet area, not really watched over by the Germans, and where no one would disturb them: a place where the ceremony could take place without any danger.

He had led Ron and Harry to church and had personally taken care of the decorating. Narcissa had dealt with, in the utmost secrecy, of course, dresses and suits for her son - the latter having refused to wear his uniform since his quarrel with his father - and Hermione, who did not have any money, in these difficult times, to acquire sewing fabric for a new dress. Draco's mother had the tailor-made dress sewed by a very nice dressmaker she had known when she spent her childhood in France and that she knew would be trustworthy.

The ceremony was about to begin. Draco was in his suit, standing up in front of the altar. In front of him stood Harry, who was looking forward for the arrival of his girlfriend. Narcissa and Ginny remained in the room adjacent to the chapel, helping Hermione to prepare while Ron was waiting in front of the door so he could lead Hermione down the aisle to the altar .

In the chapel, Draco was pacing up and down. Harry sat on a bench and looked up, his face closed. Suddenly, he said with a cold voice:

"I don't think I need to tell you that if you ever hurt her I would make you pay Malfoy."

"I know Potter, but I would never hurt her, you should know that."

"You're not the one I'm worried about." Harry whispered almost to himself.

"You're thinking of my father, aren't you?" Draco asked while sitting at his side.

"It is not very difficult to guess." the young French man replied abruptly.

"He hasn't always been like that you know." Draco said with a weary tone. "He was different before the war, before the rise of Hitler."

"War often reveals the true nature of people." Harry declared.

"No, what I mean is that he hasn't really got a choice. I am not trying to excuse him. His behaviour makes me sick. But I just wanted to let you understand that he was different before. Hitler and his ideas have changed a lot of things in our lives. We were happy before. My father had a good job, and we were part of the good society in Berlin. And then the Nazis rose to power. My mother had been considered an outcast for months because of her relations. She used to work for an art gallery. She loved it tremendously and spent a lot of time with artists. Several of them were Jews. When the persecutions against this people began, she tried to intervene. People never understood why she had done it. Rumours were circulating that she had an affair with a Jewish painter. My father never believed it, of course, but the honour of our family was tainted, and if there was one thing that my father could not bear it was that. He enlisted himself into the Gestapo only for that purpose: regain the lost honour of our family. Gradually, he has been brainwashed by the anti-Jewish doctrine and by Hitler. He never realized that we need him more than this bloody honour for which he fought." Draco explained.

Harry did not answer. How would he be able to answer that anyway? Draco kept talking while sighing:

"You know, I admire you a lot. I wish I had the courage to oppose my father, especially at this time."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked frowning in confusion.

Draco kept silent for a while and was preparing to explain everything when he heard a familiar voice call him. He turned around and found himself face to face with his friend Blaise.

"I thought you'd said that you won't come… "Draco said, surprised.

"I thought I should be here today because it seems to be very important for you." replied the young man to his friend.

"Thank you for coming." Draco said, squeezing Blaise's hand. "You are right, it is important to me."

Blaise approached and Harry greeted him with a nod. "Coming to his friend's wedding was one thing but befriending a resistance fighter was another thing entirely." He thought after staring at the young man with black hair and piercing green eyes who was glancing at him with a suspicious look.

"What he is doing here?" Harry asked.

"He is my best friend." Draco said. "I'm the one who invited him."

"I can only hope that the whole German infantry is not going to arrive here then." Harry said while standing up and calmly heading to the altar.

"I trust Blaise." Draco said with a cold voice. "I understand perfectly you don't Potter. However I can assure you that he would never take the risk of betraying me. Would you Blaise?"

"You don't even need to ask this question!" Blaise cried. "I assure you Monsieur that you have nothing to fear from me."

"If you say so," Harry muttered.

The two young Germans didn't answered. A few moments later, Narcissa and Ginny stepped in the chapel.

"How things are going down there?" Harry asked, moving his arms around the shoulders of Ginny.

"Very good, Hermione should be here in a few minutes." Ginny said.

"She is absolutely beautiful." Narcissa exclaimed by joining her hands together.

"All right then, everyone take their places." Draco said. He wanted his voice to sound detached but you can still fell a slight apprehension in it nevertheless.

Harry and Ginny stood up on the left of the altar while the Malfoy family and Blaise remained on the right. Suddenly, Draco, remembering an urgent thing he should do, pulled a piece of paper out of his jacket. He walked towards Harry and whispered him a few words in his ear. Harry grew white and grabbed the sheet that Draco was holding out. With a hoarse voice, he thanked the German officer.

Blaise wanted to come closer to hear what the two young men were saying. He did not like what was going on in front of his eyes. His friend had already given up his homeland, his ideals, his friends and even his family. He was even about to get married to a resistant fighter. Blaise was scared for his friend. He knew that this story was already doomed to end badly. When Draco's father hears about the marriage, and there was no doubt he would hear of it one day, the couple will shatter. He was heading towards Harry and Draco when he felt Narcissa's hand on his forearm. She shook her head, meaning a "no", and quietly asked him to step back to his place without causing any scandal.

"He's making his own choices now." Narcissa whispered in his ear.

"But perhaps he is making wrong choices." he answered with the same tone.

"It is not for us to decide Blaise." she replied using a firm voice. "Now if you came here to disturb the ceremony then you'd better leave now. I won't let anyone spoil my son's wedding."

Blaise kept silent and resumed his seat without replying.

In the next room, Ron was still standing up. He'd seen saw Draco's mother and Ginny leave the room and was now waiting for Hermione to open the door. Finally he ended up knocking on the door.

"Can I enter?" Ron asked.

"Of course," Hermione said. She stepped away from the psyche in front of which she was standing.

"You look gorgeous." He exclaimed, staring at Hermione.

"Are you sure?" she asked anxiously. "This dress is truly beautiful but isn't it a bit too much?"

"Of course it's not. You look perfect." he answered, sitting in an armchair.

Hermione took a seat and sat down next to him. She let out a long sigh and Ron asked her then:

"Are you nervous?"

"A little…"

The young man raised an eyebrow and glanced at her, looking perplexed. She smiled and confessed:

"All right, I am completely terrified. And before you ask me Ron, I'll answer you, yes, I am sure of what I'm doing."

Ron smiled and said, looking miserable:

"You know that everyone has always believed that you and I would finally get together. I suppose that it was not meant to happen."

"Ron, I…" Hermione began.

"No, listen what I am trying to say is that I have very strong feelings for you. Don't worry, certainly not the same as Malfoy has for you. But you are, and you will always remain one of the people that matter the most to me and that marriage will not change that. You know how much I love you Hermione."

Hermione, with tears in her eyes, hugged her friend and whispered softly as he closed his arms around her:

"I love you too Ron."

Ron rocked her for a moment and suddenly declared while stepping away from her:

"Well are you ready? Because if Malfoy comes here, and sees us like that, I don't think he will appreciate it."

Hermione smiled and quickly dried up her tears. She took the long veil from the small chest of drawers and began to hang it on her hair.

"I never thought you would be the first of us to get married." Ron suddenly declared.

"Why?" she enquired when she hung the last pin in her hair.

"You are so serious. It's not like you to be so spontaneous."

"I don't want to spend my time wondering if what I am doing is right or wrong anymore Ron. Life is short and I want to enjoy it as best I can."

"You are right." the young man approved while coming near her.

Hermione looked at her reflection in the mirror one the last time and her face darkened gradually. Ron noticed it immediately and asked:

"What's going on?"

"Luna should be here." she whispered.

"Hermione, I know you miss her. We all miss her. But this is not the time to think about that. She would have wanted you to be happy today."

Hermione nodded and tried a smile.

"I am ready." she said. "Let's go."

Ron smiled and, held out his arm to the young woman. She grabbed it and they both came out of the room to move to the place where the ceremony will begin. Ron opened the door and they entered through the right side of the chapel. They headed slowly towards the central aisle while the priest, who had arrived, waved to others in the church. There was no music to accompany Hermione. They hadn't wanted too many people to be involved in the ceremony to minimize risk, so they had decided to forget the piano.

However Draco didn't care about music at all. When he saw Hermione he first believed he was looking at an angel. She was wearing a beautiful long white dress cut to the right, with long sleeves and flared cuffs. An exquisite necklace of nacre pearls, lent by Narcissa Malfoy, highlighted her delicate neck. Ginny had disciplined her hair, and had made it curled. Her veil, made of delicate ivory-colored tulle, with lace sewed on the edges, framed her face and gave her this angelic side that Draco loved so much in her. Narcissa had insisted on her wearing a small bouquet of flowers. It was the only touch of colour in her clothes. The bouquet of red roses contrasted with the whiteness of her dress and matched the colour of her carmine lipstick, making her even more beautiful to her fiancé's eyes.

Blaise stared at Draco while Hermione was walking down the aisle. As soon as he saw the young woman, the eyes of his friend had lit up, and they now twinkled with joy. A smile, a real smile had appeared on his lips. For as long as he could remember, Blaise had never seen Draco as pleased as he seemed to be at that moment. In fact, he had actually never seen him smile.

Ron and Hermione soon arrived at Draco's side and the young woman released the arms of her friend to get in front of her fiancé. His smile widened a little more when he took the delicate hands of Hermione between his.

The priest smiled as he observed them. It was the first time in his life he was to perform a marriage so "strange", but yet so promising. If the world could follow the example of these two young people, things would surely get better. The man of the church began:

"My dear friends, we are gathered today to celebrate the union of this man Draco Malfoy, and this woman Hermione Granger. A particular union because it shows us that tolerance and above all things love still exist in this world. If you know of any lawful impediment, speak now; or else for ever hold your peace."

The church fell silent. Draco's face tensed up for an instant. He was terribly anxious. What if his father heard about the marriage? After a few moments which seemed to last forever for the young man, the priest decided to continue:

"Well, since no one wants to speak, I think we can keep going. I won't be long. We all know that our time is precious in these dark times and it is important to focus on the right things. Now Hermione, do you want to start declaiming your vows."

The young woman approved with a nod and squeezed Draco's hand a little stronger.

"Draco." Hermione said while looking straight into his eyes. "I have always wondered what was missing to my life, without ever being able to find an answer to the question. I never thought it would be during this war, which made me lose almost all the people that I loved, that I will find the missing piece to my heart. And then you happened and I knew that it was you, and you alone, which was missing to my life. I never thought I would fall in love one day, I never thought I would able to walk towards the altar without any fear or apprehension, and yet here I am today, to your sides and what I want more than anything else is to remain here until the end of my life. You are my soul mate Draco, my guardian angel, nothing and no one will change that."

Hermione finished her speech and noticed her fiance's face. He seemed completely amazed by the declarations of the young woman. The priest seeing that Draco wasn't reacting immediately intervened:

"Draco, it's your turn to declare their wows."

The young man came a little closer to Hermione. He cleared his throat and began to speak with a hesitant tone.

"Hermione…… no one, ever, has given me such a beautiful and touching speech…Nobody. And it means so much for me that you are the person who uttered those words. I have always believed that love was for the weak, that if I really wanted to be strong and fit for people who care for me then I should not show my feelings, even not feel at all. But I was wrong, I was so wrong. I have never felt myself so strong and happy that since I first met you. For years, I wandered without purpose, lost in a world in which I did not belong, and you brought me back to reality, to teach me to live and most of all to love. I could never thank you enough for all you have done for me. I already told you this before, but I wanted you to know: you made me a better man. While finding you, it's me that I found. All that I wish now is to be strong and courageous enough to keep proving every day that I love you more than anything in the world, and that I will always love you…"

When the young man ended his speech, he saw tears running down her cheeks. Without taking care of the other guests, Hermione walked closer to Draco and tenderly kissed him.

"I love you." she whispered.

"If I knew that it would make you cry, I'd never have said that." the young man replied in a breath.

"These are tears of joy." she said in the middle of a smile when stepping back to her place.

The priest was glancing at them, looking very amused, and decided to end the ceremony as soon as possible and continued:

"Well, now that your vows are exchanged, we can move to mutual consent. Draco, do you want to take Hermione for your loving wife, and to cherish her until death parts you?"

"I do." Draco said while interlacing his fingers with Hermione's.

"And you Hermione, do you want to take Draco as your husband, to love him and cherish him until death parts you?"

"I do." said Hermione with a voice full with emotion.

"Perfect. Now Draco, place this ring on Hermione's finger. It will be the sign of your mutual love."

Draco turned his face to Blaise who handed him a small gold ring. He delicately took Hermione's hand and put the alliance around her annular.

"And now Hermione." the priest continued. "Please do the same thing with Draco's ring."

The young woman shook her head and turned to Ginny who handed her the ring, which she placed on Draco's finger. They were smiling now, and were waiting for the priest to conclude the ceremony.

"By virtue of the powers that God conferred me, I am glad to pronounce you husband and wife. Draco, you may kiss the bride."

Draco slowly came closer to Hermione and took her face between his hands before giving her a long, sweet kiss. Narcissa and Ginny were looking at them, with almost tears in their eyes. Even Harry and Ron didn't look as closed as at they were at the beginning of the ceremony. Suddenly Ginny let out a little cry. Hermione and Draco separated immediately.

"I am sorry to interrupt you…" Ginny said while caressing her belly.

"Is something wrong with the baby?" Ginny asked abruptly, seeing Harry jumping near his fiancée.

"No, no, not at all." Ginny replied with a smile. "I think the baby just wanted to express his joy about your wedding because he just kicked."

"What?" Harry cried out, putting his hand on Ginny's belly. "It's wonderful!Ginny, look!"

Draco and Hermione burst out with laughter and Draco embraced his new wife in his arms one more time.

"Where were we before this capricious baby interrupted us?" He asked using a mischievous tone. "Oh yes! I remember now! I was kissing my wonderful wife."

"Really?!" Hermione asked. "I do not remember this part of the ceremony. Maybe we should start over, just to be sure that we have done everything right?"

"As you wish Madame Ma femme." he answered before kissing her again.

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A few hours later, Blaise was back at home. In retrospect, he thought that perhaps Draco and Hermione could be happy together, if of course, nothing came in their way. They seemed happy together, he thought while entering his apartment.

As he hung his coat, he heard sobs coming from his living room. He walked in and found Pansy crying, sitting in an armchair. As soon as she saw him, she stood up and rushed into his arms.

"Pansy! What's going on? What are you doing here?"

"I just need to talk with someone. I am so alone here." She sobbed against his chest. "So alone. And I can't get back on my feet, it's too hard!"

"Calm down." He answered while rocking her for a moment. "Everything is going to be all right, you'll see…"

"I so need a friend right now, I need you." she raised her large crying eyes up to him.

Suddenly, she got up on her tiptoe and laid a kiss on his lips. He tried to push her away but she was hanging desperately onto him.

"Stop, Pansy. This is wrong." Blaise tried to say while the woman was placing a multitude of kisses in his neck.

"Hush…" she murmured while taking off his shirt. "Please, do not reject me. Not now."

Blaise didn't reply to her and violently grabbed her neck. He gave her a passionate kiss before bringing her up to his bed. While he was laying her on the bed and trying to remove her skirt, he did not notice the glow of triumph and a wicked smile painted on Pansy's face.

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So what do you think of this chapter ?!

_I hope you liked it. (Just to precise, in my head, the dress and veil of Hermione was inspired by Mandy Moor in A Walk to remember!)_

_Happy week-end everybody!_

_Bises à tous !_


	15. Execution

_Hello everybody ! Thanks a lot for your previous review on chapter __14! I hope you will like this one which is a little longer than the others!_

_Don't forget to review! And Happy reading!_

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Chapter 15: Execution

**Hogwarts, nowadays.**

Harry gently knocked on the door of the infirmary. Getting no answer, he pushed the door. He headed towards the two beds installed in the middle of the room. He found his friend Ron, asleep on a chair in front of the bed where Hermione, was still deeply asleep. The nurse had put Draco right next to her.

Harry touched Ron's shoulder, the latter moved slightly. The young man jostled a little rougher. Ron moaned and opened his eyes. Gradually, he recognized the room where he was and his friend who was leaning on him. Harry took a chair and sat beside him:

"You spent all night here?" He asked to Ron.

"I intend to return to my bed around midnight but I think I fell asleep without even realise it." Ron muttered while massaging her neck hurts.

"It is Saturday now; you can go to sleep if you want."

"No, everything is all right; I'd prefer to stay here." Ron said, observing Hermione's motionless body.

Harry did not answer. He was still feeling guilty for the situation in which his friend and Malfoy were. More than two week had passed now, and nothing had changed. Dumbledore and Snape had done their utmost to resume consciousness to the two teenagers…without any success for the moment.

"She looks so peaceful." Ron said suddenly.

"And pleased too." Harry added, observing the ecstatic smile frozen on the face of the young woman.

"Malfoy is also smiling." The redhead noticed.

"I guess that where they are, they must be happy." Harry whispered.

A sound of a door being slammed made them both turn around and they found themselves facing a Lucius Malfoy who was paler than ever. Behind him, Dumbledore closed the door and stood at his side. Draco's father went quietly to his son's bed. It was the first time that Harry could read something other than contempt and superiority on the face of the former Death Eater.

Suddenly, as if he was suddenly released from a daydream, he turned to Harry and suddenly began to scream.

"All of this is your fault Potter. I know exactly what happened in the dungeons. You are an idiot and…."

"Calm down Lucius, please." Dumbledore intervened. "Blaming harry will not make Draco up, believe me"

Lucius shifted slightly away from Harry. He had an idea as to the identity of the one who had revealed the incident in the dungeons to Draco's father. Snape had surely failed to or rather didn't want to hold his tongue, Harry thought while observing the glimmers of anger that had invaded Malfoy's eyes.

"I want Potter be expelled." he said.

"What?" Ron and Harry exclaimed at the same time.

"I've already told you Lucius, what happened to Draco was an accident. In addition, your son is not the only one affected by this incident."

"You're talking about this Mud…"

"Do not say that name." Ron threatened moving in front of Lucius.

"Do you think you're scaring me Weasley? You are as pitiful as your father is…"

Ron was ready to rush Malfoy but Harry restrained him. Dumbledore placed himself between them discreetly.

"I can not let you insult my students in my presence." He said with an icy tone. "Now, I will ask you to leave this room. Miss Granger and your son need silence and rest."

"Well, I am going." Lucius said. "But I'm taking my son with me. I want him to be carried to our manor."

"I don't think that's a good idea." The old man dared to say.

"I don't care about what you think." Malfoy cried out. "Draco is my son."

"He may be your son, but he is not your property." Harry said.

"I beg your pardon Potter." Lucius ground out.

"What I mean is that you are responsible as much as I am for what happened."

"What do you mean?" He said with an astonished tone.

"Had you not filled your son with all your idiotic racist comments, this would never have happened." Harry explained. "I suppose that Snape did not take care to tell you the whole story in detail, did he?"

Lucius Malfoy frowned and stepped back while Harry continued his speech.

"He did not tell you that the reason why your son and I fought the other day was Hermione? Yes Mr Malfoy. Your son is in love with her. He loves a Muggleborn woman. They have been together for months, and because of you, they broke up. And Draco could not stand it. That is why we fought, because he would not leave her alone."

"It's impossible…" Lucius stammered throwing desperate glances at his son, who continued to smile blissfully.

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Paris, under German occupation, May 1943.

Draco held his new wife into his arms. They got married the day before, and had spent a wonderful evening and night together. They were both lying on Hermione's bed, in the house where the resistance fighters have lived for more than two months. They would have both liked a little more of privacy, but because of the dangerous circumstances, they were not able to spend their wedding night in the apartment of the young man. The risk of seeing his father turn up there at any time scared him to death.

Hermione had dozed off little time before, but Draco was unable to shut his eyes, terrified that if he would wake up, he would discover that this was only a dream. The young woman's head was resting on his naked chest. Sheets were entwined around her thin body, and her hair, scattered around her face, tickled Draco's bare skin and gave him chills. He did not know how long he remained in this position, his arms around the waist of the young woman and his eyes devouring her entirely. But when he heard the birds twittered outside the house, he escaped without bluntness from their embrace, put on a pair of trousers and went out of the room slowly.

He came down in the kitchen and found Ginny who was preparing some tea.

"Slept well?" She asked and smiled when she saw him appear.

"Wonderfully well, thank you." Draco said. "I came to see if I could bring a few things up for Hermione's breakfast. She should wake up soon."

"Of course." Ginny replied. "We don't have much, but…"

"It will be okay, thank you." the young man answered, starting to speeding up in the kitchen.

As he prepared cups of tea, Harry and Ron made their entrance, dressed in German soldiers. Draco stopped immediately.

"Luna's grandparents agreed to lend the uniforms to us again." Ron explained by sitting at the dining table.

"Oh, yes that's right." Draco remembered. "Neville's execution is today isn't it? ."

"Yes, you should know." said Harry. "You're the one who signed the papers."

"I already explained you that…" the young German began.

"We know Malfoy." Ron said with weary tone. "We know that you didn't have a choice, and believe me, we are very grateful to you for all the information that you provided us."

"Let me come with you!" Draco cried out.

"No way!" Harry said. "You would ruin everything. Everybody knows you there."

"But…" Draco stammered.

"Ginny, honey, what's happening?" Harry cried out while rushing to his fiancée, who had become suddenly, all pale and who had vertigo.

"I'm all right." She said, trying to smile. "I don't like to know you're in danger."

"Everything will be fine." Harry said, trying to comfort her. "Ron and I are going to come back without a single scratch and with Neville."

Ginny sketched a weak smile while Draco asked, worriedly:

"Have you already consulted a doctor to make sure everything is okay with your pregnancy?"

"Well, let's just say that my status of resistance fighter who is fiercely pursued by the Gestapo is not very helpful to go see a doctor when I want to."

"I will take care of it." Draco said. "I met a very nice doctor here in Paris; he will not trouble you, especially if it's me who accompanies you. I'll bring you there tomorrow morning if you want."

"Thank you very much Draco. It's really nice of you."

"Thanks Malfoy." Harry replied in a drawling tone.

Draco nodded and climbed the tray in a Hermione's room, preferring to let them say goodbye by themselves. He came in, trying not to make the door creak and set his tray on the old desk. He then saw Hermione move and turn in the bed. He knelt in front of the bed and waited patiently for her to open her eyes.

"Hello… you." the young woman whispered while stretching her arms.

"Hello Mrs. Malfoy." Draco said before gently kissing her.

Hermione immediately lost his smile hearing that name. Draco noticed it.

"What is happening?" He asked.

"Nothing." the young woman replied, trying to sit up to drink her cup of tea.

"Hermione…" Draco cried out while trying to hold her back.

The young woman fell softly on the bed and leant against the wall, the sheets tightened around her. Draco sat at her side.

"It's because of my name, isn't it?"

"I am sorry, it's just that…"

"I fully understand that you do not want anyone to call you that. If you knew how much I am ashamed of that name."

"I am not ashamed Draco. It is also your name, and in some ways I am proud to wear it. I just find it hard to get used to." Hermione said.

Draco did not reply and went to bring the tray. He handed Hermione a cup of tea. She was staring at her breakfast happily.

"You are such a sweetheart." Hermione said before kissing him on the cheek.

"I know." Draco replied with a cheerful tone.

"Modest too! Aren't I a lucky, lucky girl?" The young woman cried out with a laugh.

They began to eat while laughing and discussing things they were planning to do when they are finally free to be seen together. Suddenly, Hermione's face fell.

"Draco…there is something that we haven't discussed yesterday and…" the young woman hesitated for a moment.

"Yes?"

"What I want to say is that I could get pregnant."

"Does this scare you?" Draco asked after a moment of reflection.

"Aren't you scared?" Hermione replied. "I want children Draco; I want your children, but not now, not like this."

"Is there a chance that you are already pregnant?" He asked.

"I suppose so." Hermione said, remembering last night.

"Would it really be a tragedy if you were?" Draco asked.

"Of course it wouldn't." Hermione replied with a smile. "I would be very happy to have a baby but I'm just terribly afraid that something would happen to it or to you. I wouldn't be able to stand losing you."

"You're not going to lose me, I promise you." Draco said while holding her in his arms. "Besides when all of this is over, we will have our baby, and we will find your family in Switzerland. I promise you that we will be happy together."

"Thank you." Hermione said. She had regained her smile by now.

"For what?"

"For making me understand that I had something to expect from life."

The young man smiled and kissed his wife one last time before jumping out of the bed to dress completely.

"You're leaving?"

"I have something urgent to do, but I'll be back here tomorrow morning I swear."

After being fully dressed, he grabbed his coat and leaned towards Hermione who was watching him with a soft look on her face.

"See you tomorrow! I'll miss you." Draco said after kissing her.

"I'll miss you too. I love you so much." Hermione said.

"Hmm, I love hearing you say that." Draco replied.

"You know…if you stay with me today, I could repeat it all day."

"Do not tempt me." Draco sighed. "I really have to go if I don't want my father to get wrong ideas."

"Okay, okay, I confess myself defeated." Hermione said.

Draco burst out with laughing and reluctantly came out of the room. When he was in his car, however, he regretted not being able to stay with Hermione. But her father would not tolerate him missing the execution. He really hoped that it wouldn't take place. Objectively with the provisions he had taken, Ron and Harry should have no difficulty in releasing Neville during his journey from his prison to the inner courtyard of the headquarters of the Gestapo where the execution was scheduled to take place. There would be only two soldiers in the car which would lead the prisoners the headquarters, and Draco knew that the two resistant fighters shouldn't have a problem to getting rid of them.

However, he was astonished when he arrived in the inner courtyard, and discovered that the number of men he had planned for the execution had been tripled. His surprise grew again when he saw his father appear in front him, a satisfied smile on his lips.

"What are you doing here?" Draco asked. "You should be in Lyon for three days."

"I decided to postpone my departure. I did not want to miss your first performance." Lucius answered with a cheerful tone that made Draco's stomach churn.

"Why did you triple the amount of soldiers that I had planned?"

"I thought that you minimized a little too much." Malfoy said.

"It is an execution father, not a military parade." Draco ranted and raved.

His father did not answer and began to give orders to the different soldiers who were hanging out outside the courtyard. Draco was completely dejected. He should have suspect that his father was preparing something, he had been far too quiet and civilized these previous days to be completely honest. In these circumstances, it was now impossible for Harry and Ron to save Neville. The poor man was lost.

Harry was waiting for Ron's return on the sidewalk opposite to building, trying not to be noticed. The young redhead appeared at his side a few minutes later and they were pretending to have a most casual discussion, which was obviously not the case.

"There is a lot more soldiers than we expected in the courtyard." Ron said, trying to look as natural as possible.

"This is not normal." Harry answered with an anxious tone.

"What do you think we should do now?" Ron asked. "We can not release him during the transfer; they also tripled the number of staff."

"It is a trap. They must have known that we would try to release Neville." Harry sighed.

"Do you think Draco had betrayed us?"

"No, I do not think so. I don't trust him, but I know he is really in love with Hermione. He would never do anything that could make her suffer. That's why he gave us the information."

"So it's his father." Ron continued. "But how did he know?"

"Hermione…" Harry whispered.

"What?"

"Draco told me that his father knew he was seeing someone in Paris, a French woman. Knowing Lucius Malfoy, he must also know that Hermione is a resistance fighter and therefore he knew that Draco would give us information."

"He used his own son as a trap for us?"

"This man is a monster." Harry said. "But we can not give Neville up."

"It's suicide Harry." Ron replied. "The two of us, against more than fifty men? We won't survive two minutes against them."

"What do you suggest then? Let him die?" Harry grumbled.

"Think about Ginny Harry, and about your baby. He should not grow up without a father."

"I can't let him die here." the young man stammered.

"You said it yourself, this war demands sacrifices. Neville knew what he could undertake when he entered the resistance."

Before Harry could protest, trucks carrying the death sentenced prisoners arrived. As Ron has just said, dozens of soldiers accompanied them. They came to a standstill in front of the entrance of the compound and made the prisoners came down sharply out the trucks. Ron and Harry saw Neville jumped as dignifiedly as possible off the vehicle. He was limping and long blackish blood streaks scattered on his face. A bloodied bandage was placed loosely against his ear.

"Those monsters tortured him." Ron cried out.

"They all have been tortured." said Harry after having looked at the other prisoners who were in the same state as Neville.

As Harry finished his sentence, Neville turned his head towards them. As soon as he recognized them he discreetly nodded. The German soldiers violently pushed him inside the courtside. Harry wanted to rush toward him, but the Ron restrained him by his arm.

"It's too late now." he said to his friend. "We have to get away from here Harry. If this is a trap they will start to patrol the area soon."

"But…" Harry stammered.

Ron pushed back his friend until they are far enough for not hear German officers screaming orders in the building.

Inside, the prisoners were put in line in front of the poles and they were securely tied. The lack of food, care and above all the tortures that Neville had suffered these recent days had exhausted him, physically and mentally. The fever had invaded him. He was still lucid, but when a soldier fastened him, he believed for a moment to see Luna danced in front of him, her golden hair swirling around her, laughing and calling him. To the great surprise of the present soldiers and officers, he began to smile.

It broke Draco's heart to see him, and all his companions attached to poles like beasts. He felt so helpless that it made him sick to be standing in front of these men who were only guilty of having fought for their freedom. His resentment towards his father grew a little more. How could you he be so cruel?

When the prisoners were properly tied, the platoon came into the courtside and walked right in front of them. Draco could not help but admire their dignity. None had begged or issued any complaint. They all seemed very calm, as if death was more a relief to them than a punishment.

Draco's father turned to him and said, thereby getting him out of his torpor.

"Well Draco! We're waiting for your orders."

"What?" the young man exclaimed.

"Give orders to your men to carry out the execution and to shoot." Lucius said looking annoyed.

"Are you kidding?" Draco cried out. "It's up to you to do so."

"Of course it isn't." Lucius replied. "Do it Draco."

While all the faces of the officers were focused on him, Draco turned his head and met Neville's gaze, who was still smiling. He seemed totally oblivious to what was happening around him.

"No." Draco answered with a firm voice.

"I beg you pardon!" his father stifled.

"No. I refuse to condemn these men to death. I already told you that I won't support your massacres." Draco said.

"Draco." Lucius flew into rage. "I order you to do what I say."

"No." Draco repeated not moving a millimetre from the spot he was standing.

The soldiers' faces were all stunned with surprise. Nobody had ever dared contradict or disobey Lucius Malfoy, and especially not in front of his men. The latter seemed to be literally foaming at the mouth. He sharply stepped away from his son.

"Fine Draco, but I think you'll have to pay for this act of insubordination one time or another." Lucius answered with an icy voice.

Then turning to the platoon and without worrying anymore about his son, he ordered his soldiers to open fire. The gunshots sounds echoed throughout the court. Draco saw the prisoners' bodies collapse one after the other. When they were all on the ground, the soldiers cut their ties and to be sure that there would be no survivors, shot them all in the head.

Draco felt sick when he saw the jolt that makes Neville's body when the officer shot him at point-blank range in the head. He slowly approached him and knelt before his corpse. His eyes were opened and a grimace replaced the smile he had before execution.

"I am sorry." Draco murmured while closing the young resistant fighter's eyelids.

He stood up, and looked around him. All eyes were still on him. He saw his father walked along his soldiers and returned to his office.

"Clean that." Lucius yelled before rushing in the building. "Put me all this vermin in a common grave."

* * *

While Neville made his last breath, Blaise, on the other hand, was still in his bed, holding a very naked Pansy in his arms.

"It was good wasn't it?" Blaise asked while caressing the arms of the young woman.

"It was." she replied, her voice filled with false tears.

"Pansy? What's happening?"

"Nothing, it's just that...I know that I was the one who wanted to do it but...I feel guilty towards Draco." the young woman explained.

"Why?"

"When he broke up with me, he told me that he would come back to me." Pansy lied. "He said that I was the woman of his life and he'll always love me but that he needed some time to bring order into his life before he can really settle down with me. He asked me to wait for him and I spent the night with you, I feel as if I betrayed his trust."

"He told you that?!" Blaise yelled back. "What a bastard! When I think that yesterday he was proclaiming his love to another!"

"What!?" Pansy exclaimed. "What are you talking about? Draco could not have done such a thing!"

"Pansy…Draco got married yesterday to a French woman. I was his best man."

"It is impossible." Pansy wept, clinging to Blaise's neck. "You're lying…"

"I am sorry Pansy. If I had known that he would betray you, I would never have consented to play a part in this masquerade."

The young woman's false tears intensified again a little bit more and Blaise did not know what to do to silence her.

"It's going to be all right Pansy. Calm down. I'll tell you everything."

A few hours later, it was a Pansy with a dazzling smile who entered the office of Lucius Malfoy. He seemed very tensed and angry and he ripped his work paper into very small pieces. When he saw her, he froze and glanced at the young woman who came to sit in front of him with a look of triumph spread all over her face.

"I know where they are hiding." she declared.

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Thanks a lot to all of you who read this chapter!

_And thanks to Nia who betaed it!_


	16. Revolt and consequences

_Hello everyone, I'm very sorry for not updating sooner, but I hope you will like this chapter anyway!_

_Thank you so much to you who read my story! And a special thanks to my great reviewers_:** Leah Andrea Black - 123hummingbird123 - Inner Self - Snape is Forgiven - Story Lover - miss quirky bookworm - Elven at Heart - Arrgh-matey - ctc – plasticlittlespastic** _and to _**Nia**_ who betaed this chapter !_

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Chapter 16: Revolt and consequences.

"I know where they are hiding." the young woman repeated.

"Fantastic Pansy!" Lucius Malfoy cried out whose face suddenly lit up. "But how did you succeed? My spies have been trying to obtain this information for months."

"Well, let's just say that I always knew how to handle men." Pansy said.

"Not all the men." Malfoy replied with an acid tone. "My son dumped you, didn't he?"

"It was one unfortunate mistake that you will soon be able to repair, I am sure."

"How?" He asked.

"I also forgot to mention that your dear son got married yesterday." Pansy answered.

"What?" Lucius cried out.

"Exactly, your son married the terrorist you have been looking for months: Hermione Granger."

"It's impossible." Lucius whispered. "Draco tries to oppose me at the moment, but he would never go that far."

"Apparently, and from what Zabini explained to me..." the young woman answered. "He is in love with her."

Pansy literally spat those last words, as if they were burning her throat. Draco's father remained astonished for a moment.

"I want her to be executed." Pansy declared. "It is the least you can grant me for the information that I have just given you. Once she is… gone, I will have no difficulty in recovering Draco."

"I'll send my men to arrest them." Lucius said while standing up.

"No." she exclaimed. "Not now. As you said it yourself, the terrorists have certainly planned to help this morning's death-sentenced prisoners escape, and they surely have not yet returned home. Wait for the right moment."

"Tomorrow." Lucius said. "My son has an appointment with a doctor for a health check, so he won't be present when I arrest them. Yes you are right; this is the best time to act."

Pansy's smile widened and she made herself even more comfortable in her chair. Her plan was going exactly as she had expected. Soon the little resistant fighter would no longer be a problem.

* * *

Early the next morning, Draco parked in front of the old house that was being used as a shelter to the four resistant. He entered the house calmly and found his wife and friends eating breakfast. He noticed Hermione's radiant smile when she saw him and thought then that the two men mustn't have told her what happened to Neville. He hugged her, kissed her and then turned to Harry and Ron, who were watching him with a glooming look.

"Can I speak to you?" He asked.

"Of course." Harry replied in a weary tone.

"We'll come back in a few minutes." Ron said to the two young women who was observing them. "Let's go to the sitting room."

Once the door shut behind them to ensure that nobody could listen to them, they began their conversation.

"I am really sorry, I didn't know what my father had planned." Draco began.

"We know this Malfoy." Ron replied. "We are not mad at you. You did what you could."

"My father ordered that the convicts should be buried in a common grave. But I managed to make sure that this would not be the case for the Neville's body." Draco stammered looking for his words. "Does he still have a member family to whom I could give his body?"

"His grandmother I think." Harry said with an anxious tone. "It would surely be buried along with his parents in the Père Lachaise cemetery. Wait I will give you her address."

"Thank you." Draco sighed. "I assure you that if I could have done anything that could save him, I…"

"It's not your fault Draco." Ron said, calling the German officer for the first time by his first name. "You are not responsible."

"I signed the papers." Draco refuted. "I don't even know how I can look at himself into a mirror."

"But you also passed top secret documents to the hands of a network of resistance fighters." Harry said. "Believe me in this war, you are far from being a monster compared to what others have done."

"Compared to what my father done?" Draco asked.

"Indeed." Harry replied while give Draco a piece of paper. "Now, back in the kitchen otherwise Hermione and Ginny are going to suspect that something is not going well."

"You haven't said them anything have you?" Draco questioned.

"We felt that given the state Ginny is in, it's was better for her and the baby that she knows nothing of what happened to Neville." Ron explained. "As for Hermione, we didn't want to spoil her happiness. She seems to be on a small cloud since your wedding."

Draco nodded and went into the kitchen, followed by Harry and Ron. Ginny had grabbed her coat and was quietly chatting with Hermione.

"Ready to go?" Draco asked Harry's fiancée.

"Oh yes!" Ginny cried while standing up. "I look forward to be there. I want to be sure that everything is fine with the baby."

"I'd like to come." Harry sighed. "But it would not be careful."

"Yes especially these days." said Draco. "My father has doubled the amount of patrols in the city. Getting around has become a challenge."

"This does not reassure me." Harry replied before hugging Ginny. "It might be better that you stay here."

"She will not be in danger with me." Draco pleaded.

"Everything will be fine Harry." Ginny reassured him.

"We should really leave now." said Draco after kissing Hermione and before heading for the exit. "Otherwise we really are going to end up being late."

"I'm coming!" Ginny exclaimed, reassuring Harry one last time before following Draco outside.

They went up in the official car of the young man. They drove during twenty minutes and finally arrived at the doctor office. Ginny came down to the car, helped by Draco and entered the waiting room. They both sat on chairs and waited their turn. While the doctor was getting out of his consultation room to greet them, Blaise appeared suddenly, breathless and completely panicked.

"Draco, I finally found you! It is important that I speak to you. Now!" Blaise cried out.

"Can't it wait?" Draco asked.

"It is rather urgent." the German officer said. He was literally covered with sweat.

"Well, Doctor, I entrust to you my friend. Ginny, I'll come find you in a few minutes." Draco replied by facing to the young Weasley.

The door closed on the young woman whose face had taken a worried look and on the doctor who looked rather taken aback. Blaise dragged Draco in a corner of the room where no one could hear them.

"I did something horrible." Draco's friend said.

"What did you do?" Draco asked annoyed.

"I slept with Pansy." Blaise explained.

"Indeed, it is horrible for you, I really sympathise Blaise, but here I really don't have time. If you were afraid that I would react badly, do not worry for that, I give you my blessing." the young man replied before heading toward the auscultation room.

"She made me talk." Blaise declared, thereby stopping Draco in his movement.

"What did you just say?" He asked softly, his face becoming increasingly pale, as he understood the meaning his friend's word.

"She told me that you told her that you still loved her and I thought you had lied to her and Hermione. It made me furious, so when she started questioning me, I told her everything." Blaise explained with a shameful voice.

"You haven't told her where they are hiding have you? Tell me that you didn't do that?" Draco cried out getting dangerously closer to Blaise.

"I am sorry Draco. I am really sorry. When I realized that I had been manipulated I tried to reach you but couldn't find you, and then this morning I went to their hiding place to try and rescue them, but unfortunately…"

"Unfortunately what?"

"Your father was already there. When I arrived, Hermione and her two friends were tied up. Lucius had them carried to a van and they left. I suppose they were taken to the head quarters. Draco I…"

"No…don't say anything." Draco said, gritting his teeth. "Here, I can assure that I'm using all my self control to keep myself from breaking your nose."

Blaise stepped back. He had already seen Draco angry, but never to this point. The young man in front of him squeezed his fists and his ice-cold eyes, had they had the power to do it, would killed him on the spot.

"Go away Blaise."

"But I…"

"I told you to go away." Draco yelled.

Blaise lowered his head. He saw Draco stepping back slowly and sat on a chair. He took his face between his hands and whispered:

"I trusted you Blaise and you spoiled everything."

"I am sorry, really sorry." the other young man said. "If there is anything that I can do to help…"

"Don't talk to me ever." Draco said a cold voice. "And get out of my life. I do not want to see you ever again."

Blaise bowed his head again and walked out of the waiting room. Ten minutes later, Ginny got out of the room looking even more worried than when she had entered in. Draco stood up quickly and asked:

"Is there something wrong with the baby?"

"No, the doctor has just told me that I should rest. What happened? I heard you scream!" the young woman questioned.

"Ginny sit down please." Draco said.

"You're frightening me Draco." Ginny said.

"What I had to tell you is not easy and…"

"It is Harry? Something happened?" She asked with tears in her eyes.

"He, Ron and Hermione had been arrested, I am sorry." he said while the young woman burst into tears. "I will take you to a safe place, and then I will go to the Gestapo Headquarters and get them. I promise you that they will escape. I promise you…"

Draco cradled her until she calmed down and was able to stand up. With help from the doctor, who was concerned for Ginny's health and of her baby's, they both settled her lying in the back of the car, then Draco drove to the only place he knew would be safe for her: her mother's apartment. His father never went there, having with his own quarters within the Gestapo's building. In a few words, he explained the situation to his mother and entrusted her with Ginny before running right at the headquarters.

He parked the car in a whirlwind in the courtside, ran across it and moved towards the cells' imprisonment. But a soldier on guard in front of the entrance stopped him.

"I am sorry sir Malfoy, but your father has prohibited you from entering the cell area."

"Let me go, you idiot." Draco snapped, trying to push the soldier.

"I am sorry sir, but your father…"

I don't care about my father… move away from me now." the young man cried out, grabbing his weapon.

"Stop Draco!" a voice behind him exclaimed.

"What are you doing here Blaise?" Draco asked.

"Your father wants to see you in his office right away." Blaise replied. "You'd better go. For one time, be reasonable, please."

Draco examined Blaise's face for a moment then put down his weapon. He shoved the man roughly, and climbed the stairs to the office of Lucius Malfoy. He did not even take the time to knock on the door and ran inside. He was about to throw himself on his father, but stopped when he saw Hermione, Ron and Harry surrounded by officers in the middle of the room.

"Draco, you are the last one we were expecting! What a lovely family reunion!" Lucius joyfully exclaimed when he saw his son.

The young man did not listen this not poisoned sentence and headed for Hermione. Regardless of what other people in a room may think he gently caressed her cheek and asked her with a broken voice:

"Did they hurt you?"

His wife replied, shaking his head from left to right. Draco sighed with relief. If they had dared touch her, he would have been able to kill them all, one after the other. He then turned to Harry and Ron. They did not seem to have suffered from any form of violence. His gaze met his father's and Draco's anger grew. Lucius literally seemed to inwardly celebrate his victory.

"Free them!" Draco ordered, triggering laughter from other Germans in the room.

"Well Draco, how vigorous you are!" Lucius cried out gleefully.

"I told you to let them go." Draco yelled.

Draco's father lost his smile and went on with an icy voice:

"You have no power for ordering something here Draco. Now, I ask you to leave the room. I will proceed with the questioning of this charming lady."

"I forbid you to even touch her." Draco roared by going more and more up to his father.

"Enough Draco, I am already working to fix the mistakes that you have made and the crimes you have committed so please don't do another idiotic thing."

"Hermione is not a mistake, she is the most beautiful thing that happened to me and I will not let you hurt her."

"You are talking like a weak little child." Lucius snapped. He had lost his legendary calm during the exchange. "I never thought you would fall that low. I'm so disappointed by you."

"You are the one who make me ashamed! You are a monster. You thought you are superior to others but you are wrong! Am I disappointing you? Well it's all very well, because your behaviour makes me sick. I will give everything not to be your son. I feel so ashamed of the name of Malfoy and…"

"I told you to stop." Lucius replied, losing his temper. His complexion had taken a sallow colour.

"Or what?" Draco yelled. "You are going to get me locked up and tortured like all these resistance fighters. But go ahead father! It would be an honour for me to be considered as one of them."

"You are completely crazy!" Lucius exclaimed.

"No, on the contrary, I've just had my eyes opened for me and I understand what you are in reality. Now, set them free!"

"No way." Draco's father cut off.

"So you don't leave me another choice." said Draco putting his hand on his belt to grab his weapon.

The two officers who were behind him were faster, and each of them grabbed one of Draco's arms, pulling him back, while his weapon fell to the ground. The young man struggled and Hermione wanted to rush to his rescue but Lucius grabbed Draco's gun on the floor and pressed it against the young woman's throat. Hermione and Draco stopped almost at the same time. Ron and Harry were both held back by soldiers. All seemed to be terrified.

"I advise you to calm down Draco." Lucius exclaimed by pressing a little bit more the barrel of the gun on the delicate skin of the young woman. "You wouldn't like that something undesirable happen to her because of your behaviour would you?"

"Stop…" Draco whispered, remaining as motionless as possible. "Please…"

"Well, I see you're starting to be reasonable. Calm down and I will try to show me magnanimous. Now gentlemen…" Draco's father ordered that the two soldiers who were holding him back. "Take my son to his office. You will be locking the door of course."

The two soldiers nodded and dragged Draco into the corridor while he was screaming abuse at his father. Lucius Malfoy, who had regained his usual haughtiness then turned to the other officers and ordered them to lead Harry and Ron into cells. Remaining alone with Hermione, he put the gun to his son on his desk and approached the young woman.

"So you are the one who seduced Draco. I must confess my son has good taste." He caressed the young woman's cheek.

Hermione stepped back, shivering with deep disgust. She glared at Malfoy and replied with a voice full of anger and hatred.

"You are despicable."

Lucius burst out laughing and went to sit in his office.

"I don't care about what you think of me mademoiselle. The opinion of such a low person as you is useless."

"This is not what your son thinks." Hermione replied coming nearer him.

"My son has lost his mind."

"I wonder what bother you the most in our marriage, the fact that I am a Slav of origin, or the fact that I'm a resistant fighter?"

"You're not the one who should ask the questions!" Lucius exclaimed by standing up. "Now silence!"

"You have no right to order me anything. Unlike you, I am free to do whatever I want. Draco was right, you are a monster."

"Enough." Lucius yelled. "You don't have the slightest idea of what I could do to!"

"Oh, but I am not afraid of you. However, you, you are afraid of me, I can feel it. Of course, just imagine that the upper echelons of the Nazi society learn that the son of the head of the Gestapo in Paris had been not only seduced by resistant fighter but what's more, that he had married her… what would they say?" Hermione continued getting confidence.

"Keep quiet!" Lucius shouted, getting closer to her.

"What a scandal!" the young woman cried out. "Your career would be ruined, your honour destroyed. You would go down of high society as quickly as you went up. You will be regarded as a pariah. You will lose everything and…"

"I ordered you to shut up, foolish girl." Lucius cried out while rushing towards her.

He raised his hand and rained it down on the face of the young woman. She screamed and the violence of the hit made her fall to the ground. She remained on the ground a few seconds, and then rose slowly. She stood up straight, facing Lucius Malfoy and passed a hand over her mouth from which flowed a thin thread of blood. The man in front of her was foaming at the mouth. His breathing was jerky and he had obviously lost his temper. To his great surprise, he saw an ironic smile on the lips of the young woman.

"Is this all that you are capable of doing?" she sniggered still smirking. "I thought you were more foolhardy dear stepfather!"

"You stupid bitch!" Lucius cried out while rushing towards her again.

"Lucius no!" a woman's voice yelled.

Narcissa Malfoy suddenly entered the room and stood between her husband and Hermione, who had not made the slightest move.

"Out of my way Narcissa!" he screamed.

"No! Don't you think you have done enough for today!" Narcissa cried out.

Lucius stepped away slightly, and his wife sighed with relief. She turned towards Hermione and handed her a handkerchief to wipe the blood that still flowed steadily from her mouth.

"Is everything all right Hermione?" she asked.

"Yes, don't worry." the young woman replied giving a hint of a discreet smile.

"Blaise !" Draco's father called.

The young man came into the room and stood in front of his superior.

"Lead the prisoner into a cell."

"Yes sir…" Blaise answered before taking Hermione's arm and bringing her out of the room.

When the door was closed on them, Draco's father exploded with anger.

"How did you dare defy me as you did a moment ago? How did you dare lie to me! You knew from the start and you haven't told me anything! That's called duplicity Narcissa!"

"You're raving Lucius. I didn't defy you!" she answered. "I only prevented you from making another mistake."

"I was only proceeding to an interrogation." Malfoy replied.

"She is your son's wife!"

"She is a waste of space, a being that should never have come into the world."

"Please stop!" Narcissa said stepping away from him. "Do you realize what you are saying? What you've become? Where is the man I fell in love with? The man I married?"

"That man was a weak and a coward." Lucius replied using his cold voice, drained of all emotion.

"Torturing a woman is a mark of nobility and superiority for you?"

"You're mistaken everything." Lucius shot back. "Everything I have always done, I have done for you and Draco."

"How do you think he will react when he knows what you have done to Hermione? You will definitely lose him if you hurt his wife."

"That woman soon won't be a problem." said Lucius.

"What do you mean?" Narcissa asked, her voice trembling with fear.

"I signed her death sentence. She will be executed tomorrow morning." he answered coldly.

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I hope you liked this chapter!

_Don't forget to let me know what you think of it!_

_Bises à tous !_


	17. May 8th 1943

**_Hello everybody! I hope you all spent a lovely Christmas!_**

**_This is my favourite chapter of this story, I hope you'll like it! (Thanks a lot again Nia for betaing my story so well!)_**

**_Thank you also to my rewievers: _**_**Fozzy-Floozy**__, __**Snape is Forgiven**__, __**Arrgh-matey**__, __**miss quirky bookworm**__, __**Leah Andrea Black**__, __**Mrs Edward Cullen 2012**__, __**tefy**__, __**WhiteGreen**__, __**plasticlittlespastic**__, __**ctc.**_

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Chapter 17:

**May 8****th****, 1943.**

"You can not do that!" Narcissa cried out. "You can not execute her. Draco will never forgive you for that."

"I don't care. You hear me? I don't care. I want my son back and it won't happen if that woman keeps putting herself between him and me." Lucius Malfoy said.

"My god, how did we end up there?" the wife of commander whispered stepping away from her husband.

"Tomorrow, after the execution, everything will get better."

"If you execute Hermione, then I can assure you that tomorrow will be the last time you see me." Narcissa answered in a low voice.

"Do not say silly things Narcissa. You cannot leave me. You don't have the power to do it."

"You disgust me." She retorted back, storming out the room.

Narcissa Malfoy went straight down to the basement of the headquarters. She passed in front of a lieutenant who after he recognized her didn't dare to prohibit her entry and hurried deep into the corridors. She walked in front of the cell where Ron and Harry were locked and stopped there for a moment.

"Where did they imprison Hermione?" She asked them.

"Further on." Ron said. "At the end of the corridor, many soldiers were with her."

"Thank you." Narcissa murmured, ready to go.

"What will happen to her?" Harry asked.

"My husband signed her death warrant. Hermione will be executed tomorrow morning. As for you, I assume that my husband still needs you, that's why you… you…" she could not even finish her sentence.

"They can not do that." Ron cried out. "She didn't do anything. You must do something!"

"There's nothing I can do." Narcissa sighed. "You heard my husband; Draco is locked in his office, which is certainly guarded, as for Hermione God only knows how many men are placed at the door of her cell."

Ron did not reply and sat on the floor. He felt so helpless and weak, locked in the cell while his friend needed him. Narcissa nodded at them and headed for the bottom of the corridor. As Ron had said previously, a dozen soldiers were guarding the cell. She came near the bars without worrying about what the soldiers might think. Once Hermione saw her, she stepped forward. Draco's mother gazed at Hermione and stammered with a weak voice:

"I am so sorry."

"It's not your fault." Hermione answered.

"I wish I could do something…anything, to help you." Narcissa whispered.

"Actually, there is one thing you could do for me. I would like you to take care of Draco when I am no longer here."

"Do not say that Hermione." she cried out hurriedly. "We can still find a solution, I could convince my…"

"No!" Hermione cut her off. "You know as well as I do that your husband would never yield. Just promise me that you will do what I asked you."

"I promise you. Hermione…I haven't known you for a very long time but I am so proud of you being daughter in law. If I had a daughter, I'd loved her to be just like you." Narcissa said holding out her hands to the young woman through the bars.

Hermione squeezed Narcissa's hands through the cell bars and thanked her with a smile.

"You are so brave." She said.

"No, I am not." Hermione replied. "I am scared to death. But I refuse to give the Germans the satisfaction of seeing me falter in front of them. I won't fail…not now."

While Narcissa Malfoy was about to answer something, Blaise appeared behind her, breaking the contact between the two women. Hermione stepped back and her face grew stony as she recognized him.

"Madame Malfoy." he said. "Your husband ordered you to be led to your son's office."

The woman said nothing and stretched her hand out again through the bars. She interlaced her fingers with those of Hermione and whispered:

"I will be there with you tomorrow morning."

"Thank you." Hermione replied softly.

Narcissa strayed away from the cell and followed Blaise through the corridors. So her husband was about to imprison her too. He had become absolutely crazy. Blaise led her to her son's office, and as she had imagined it, two soldiers were placed in front of the door yet it was still double-locked. Blaise unlocked the door and made Draco's mother enter before closing behind her.

"Mother!" Draco cried out seeing her.

"Draco, is everything all right?" She asked scanning the room.

His office was upside down and several chairs which had been thrown through the room and were lying in pieces on the floor. Draco was standing in the middle of the room, his face was livid, and his eyes reflecting apprehension.

"Did you see father?" He asked, ignoring her question.

"Draco, yes, but I…"

"What did he tell you?"

"I am sorry Draco… he… Hermione will be executed tomorrow morning" Narcissa stammered.

Draco did not answer anything, the shock seemed to have left him breathless and without the ability to think normally.

"What?" He asked his voice trembling. "He can not do that. He has no right to do it."

"I am sorry Draco. I tried to make him change his mind but I failed. I am really sorry." her mother said to him before take him in her arms.

"No!" Draco yelled. "I won't let him to do this. I will find a way to make her escape…there must be a way…"

"There is not darling." Narcissa explained in a soft voice as if she was speaking to a child. "A dozen men are guarding her cell, and we are trapped here. Draco I am sorry but there is no possible good outcome."

Narcissa saw tears flood her son's eyes. She knew he was struggling to keep them at bay. She hadn't seen him cry, not once, since he was a child. He slowly shook his head to signify that he would never give up but when her mother enveloped him in her arms, she felt him collapse against her and staggered slightly under his weight. His body was shaken by shudders and she felt his tears wetting her neck.

"She can't… mother she can't die… I won't be able to bear it… losing her." Draco gulped his voice cut off by tears.

"Calm yourself Draco. Please calm down darling." Narcissa rocked him.

* * *

At dawn the next morning, Draco stood at the window in his office. From there, he could 'enjoy' an unobstructed view of the court. He saw the first soldiers from the firing squad arrived and set up the post to which Hermione would be tightened soon. His face had lost all trace of sadness, only bitterness and hatred seemed to be the feeling he was experienced at that moment. He turned around and looked at his mother who consoled him much of the night. She was resting on one of the few chairs that had survived his fury. It should be about eight hours. The execution was taking place at eleven o'clock this Tuesday, May 8, 1943.

Knocks on the door woke Draco's mother up and she got up quickly. A sound of rattling keys was heard and the door opened to show Lucius Malfoy, accompanied by several soldiers. Seeing him Draco wanted to throw himself at him, but his father, guessing his intention, raised his hand and ordered him to remain in his place.

"Just so you know I haven't changed my mind about the execution." said Lucius. His voice sounded less assured than he would have liked it to be. "But I thought I should give you a few minutes before the prisoner was executed."

At these words, he stepped back and Hermione entered the room. She was tied up and did not appear to have suffered from any violence other than the slap in the face she received from Lucius. Draco came near her cautiously, stunned.

"Narcissa!" Draco's father ordered. "You come with me!"

His wife got up and left the room without a word. Lucius made all the soldiers get out and declared:

"You have five minutes, no more. Zabini will then take the prisoner back to her cell."

As soon as the door was close, Draco rushed towards his wife and pulled her into his arms.

"I am sorry, I am so sorry." He kept repeating.

"Stop Draco, it is not your fault." Hermione said forcing him to look at her. "This is not your fault."

"I had promised to protect you, not to leave anyone hurt you and I've failed you." the young man whispered in an agonized voice, leaning his forehead against Hermione's. "I was not strong enough."

"Shh." Hermione murmured. "You are the man of whom I have always dreamed Draco. You are sweet, caring and nice. You are not like your father and you never will be. This is why I have loved you, and I always love you and when I go…"

"No! Do not say that, please…" Draco begged before kissing her. "Please don't."

"I am going to die Draco." Hermione replied. Neither you nor I can do anything to prevent it now. But it is not the most important. The most important thing is that you must remember all the wonderful moments we spent together. You have to keep living Draco."

"No… you can not ask me that." Draco said, his face awash with tears. He could not do anything to hold them. "Not without you… I cannot… I love you so much…if only you knew…"

"Draco I know, I know." the young woman replied. She was also crying. "And I love you with all my heart too. But I can not leave in peace if I am not sure that you will do everything you can to get over it. Please Draco, grant me this favour… tell me that you'll keep living."

Draco barely nodded as a sign of understanding and a faint smile appeared on Hermione's lips. The young man squeezed her a little harder in his arms, covering her with kisses. It was at this moment that Blaise came into the room, followed by several soldiers. He cleared his throat to signify his presence and said:

"I must lead Hermione in her cell."

"No." Draco exclaimed, squeezing Hermione even harder. "I can not let them do that. I can not let you go."

"You have to Draco." Hermione said while caressing his cheek.

She leaned towards him and kissed one last time:

"I love you." She whispered near his ear, her voice hoarse from crying. "We will be together one day, I promise you."

Hermione suddenly backed away fearing that Draco holds her again in his arms. She knew that if he did that, she wouldn't have the strength to appear strong and determined. She would collapse in his arms and she did not want him to remember her this way.

The soldiers pushed her back while her gaze catched for the last time those of her husband. She soon disappeared in the corridor and Draco remained standing in the middle of his office, his eyes looking empty and lost. His tears had stopped flowing, but his eyes were hollow. Blaise stared at him for a moment, sighed and turned to leave the room.

"Blaise!" Draco called.

"Yes." He replied looking back at him.

"Do you remember that yesterday you told me that you would do anything to fix your mistake?"

"Draco, I can not just let your wife escape from jail." Blaise sighed. "And believe me you won't even need to look for a way to revenge you, your father is sending me to fight on the Russian front. I'll probably never return from there."

"I am not trying to avenge me." Draco said. "I would not ask you to get Hermione out, I know that you can't do that, but I have a favour to ask you."

"Anything you want." Blaise said.

"Then close the door that I'll explain you everything." Draco said.

Blaise obeyed, sat in a chair and waited for Draco to explain his plan.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy led his wife into his office. She had moved to the window and looked out. She had not speak a single word since she had entered the room.

"Narcissa… please… talk to me." Lucius sighed.

"Why did you bring me here? I should stay with Draco. He needs me."

"I allow you to respect the promise that you made to Granger yesterday." Lucius said. "Zabini told me you promise her that you would be at her side in the morning."

"How can you do this?" Narcissa asked with her voice shaking.

"We have already talked about that." Lucius sighed. "I have no other choice."

"You could go back on your decision." his wife suggested with a voice full of hope.

"No, I do not want to be seen as a weak."

"Good God, when are you going to open your eyes Lucius!?" Narcissa yelled. She was completely out of her mind with anger and grief. "If Hermione dies, you'll lose everything! Everything!"

"Draco will get over it." Malfoy said in shrugging his shoulders.

"You were not with us last night, you didn't hold your son in your arms and tried to console him, to make him stop crying, trying to make him understand that he will have to learn to live without the woman he loves more than anything else. You were not there Lucius! You can not understand." Draco's mother cried out.

"It is you who don't understand Narcissa. I cannot go back now. I can no longer stop the execution even if I wanted to. I can not afford to lose face in front of my men."

"How many people will have to die so you can save your reputation Lucius?" Narcissa yelled, standing in front of him.

Her husband said nothing and stepped back. For the first of his life, Lucius Malfoy felt remorse and doubts but he knew that it was now too late to change anything to the situation.

* * *

Blaise Zabini came out of Draco's office, and headed towards of the basement. He walked through the maze of corridors and stopped in front of Ron and Harry's celll. He talked a few moments with the two officers that were guarding the door. Then they went into the cell and tied the two resistant fighters up tightly.

"Where do you take us?" Harry asked.

"You're transferring to the state prison." Blaise said.

The Germans and the two prisoners went up in the courtyard and crossed it. A German car was waiting at the entrance. The officers made Harry and Ron climb up on the back of it and fastened them a little more safely to the vehicle seat.

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to accompany you sergeant Zabini?" One soldier asked. "One of the prisoners could try to escape."

"Don't worry." Blaise said using a tone that he wanted to sound confident. "Everything will be fine. The prison is at two-hour drive away. Besides they are securely attached."

Both officers nodded and stepped back before Blaise started up. After a ten-minute drive, he suddenly stopped the car in front of a luxury building. He came out running and went down the residence.

"We must try to get out of her." Harry cried out. He wanted to take advantage of the absence of the German to escape.

"My ties are too tight." Ron said.

"We need to find something to cut them!"

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed.

"What?"

"It's Ginny!" Ron answered by nodding towards the direction where Blaise went.

"What?" Harry cried out. "Ginny? Where?"

He turned his head and saw Ginny, with her face pale, moving in their direction, supported by Blaise, who was scanning the area to make sure that nobody had followed him. He settled the young woman at the front and climbed in the car. With the help of his pocketknife, he quickly freed the two other men.

"What's happening here?" Ron asked, while Harry and Ginny were kissing.

"I'm driving you to Calais. From there, you will find a boat that will take you to Dover, England." the German explained by turning on the car.

"What?" Harry exclaimed. "But how is this possible?"

"Read this!" Blaise answered, handing them a piece of paper.

Harry grabbed the letter and began to read:

_"Harry, Ron,_

_Blaise will lead you in a place where you can leave France. The situation has become far too complicated and dangerous for you here. Ginny and the baby need medical care, which can only be delivered in England. I know that you will first think that you should not flee but face your enemy, but believe me, what you are going to do has nothing to do with a flight. Think__ of your trip as a mission of the utmost importance. With this letter I enclose a bunch of documents. For days, I have been trying to gather as much information as possible on the movement of troops of the Wehrmacht and the __Gestapo, and other information more or less secret. Everything is here, in your hands now. You can use these pieces of information in England. The struggle must continue._

_I will take care of Hermione. I'm going to help her escape from here as soon as possible. We'll join you as soon as we can._

_Take care of Ginny and of the baby._

_See you soon,_

_Draco._

Having finished his reading, Harry passed the letter to Ron and remained thoughtful for a moment. He felt guilty leaving Hermione while she was probably still trapped. He could not give her up here.

"Don't worry about them." Blaise said, as if he was reading the mind of the young man. "Draco has devised a foolproof plan to get his wife out of prison."

"Maybe we should wait before leaving France." Harry said.

"We won't have the time, you need to leave today." Blaise replied. "Don't be too worried. Draco will lead Hermione in the Manche. They will go to the Island of Jersey and then if all goes well to England."

"I think we should go back." Ron retorted. "We can not abandon them."

"If you go to Paris now." Blaise began. "And if you get caught then all the risks that Draco would have taken to provide you all this information will have served no purpose."

"He is right Ron." Harry muttered. "However are you really sure that Draco will succeed in making Hermione escape?"

"They are probably already on their way to the coasts of the Cotentin by this time." Blaise replied with a smile.

"Well, in this case, en route to England." Ron sighed.

Blaise speeded up and gradually lost his smile as the road passed in front of his eyes. He remembered the last words his friend told him before leaving: "Do not tell them we can no longer do anything to save Hermione. If they learn that she is condemned and that the execution is inevitable, they will never leave."

Draco had never conceived any plan to make Hermione escape from prison. He was still locked in his office, guarded by his father's men. He had invented the story to force Ron, Harry and Ginny to leave France, because even though he could no longer do anything to save his wife, he could not let those he regarded almost as friends be tortured and killed without trying to prevent it.

* * *

The hours quickly flowed past at the headquarters of the Gestapo. Soon, it was time for Hermione to go out of her cell to be led in the courtyard, where the execution would take place. The soldiers tied her up and she was about to follow them in the corridors when a female laugh was heard. Pansy stepped out of the shadow where she was hiding and headed towards Hermione.

"Finally! In a few minutes, I will definitely be rid of you." Pansy sniggered, standing in front of Hermione. "Draco will soon return to what he was before meeting you and we will be together again."

"There no way he can ever love you." Hermione said her head held up.

"We'll see." Pansy replied with a smile. "You will no longer be her to observe it anyway. A sad finale for the little French whore, is it not?"

"You are pathetic." Hermione answered who was trying not to burst of anger. "See what you have done to get back a man who has never held any feelings for you, with the exception of blinding hatred."

On those last words, Hermione passed in front of Pansy and followed the soldiers. The young German remained in the middle of the dark hallway; her cheeks were red with shame and eyes filled with hatred.

Hermione was led to fresh air. She walked with a decided pace to the post of execution. Suddenly, she heard someone call her. She turned and saw Narcissa Malfoy arrive near her.

"Thank you for coming." Hermione whispered.

"I wish things could end up differently." Narcissa sighed.

Hermione shook her head and was led at the foot of the post. She stood straight and waited for someone to come to tie her. To his great surprise, Lucius Malfoy himself approached her, and instead tightened her at the pillar; he cut the ties of the young woman. She stared at him with interrogator look and he replied with a soft voice and soothing voice:

"You were right. You are freer than I will ever be. You have the right to die as a free woman."

While Lucius walked away from her, Hermione looked up at the windows of the building. She could not see him but knew that Draco was observing the scene from his office. She was not worried for him. It would hard for him but he could and would survive it. He had promised her to do so.

She lowered her gaze and stared at the firing squad. Lucius Malfoy was at the right of the soldiers. Narcissa was standing a little further back. Her fists clenched, she felt the tears flowed along her cheeks, but did not do anything to prevent them to run. She was watching Hermione and could only admire the dignity and courage she showed at this time.

She heard her husband yelling orders to his soldiers and a burst of bullets was fired. Narcissa saw projectiles entered the young woman's body and her face distorted with pain. She fell to the ground almost immediately.

Just a few moments after Hermione's lifeless body fell to the ground, a second shot was heard. Lucius Malfoy looked around him. No one in the yard had fired. He then saw his wife rushing towards the office building. He started to run after her. While he was climbing the stairs, he heard a horrible scream coming from the fourth floor. He ran faster and came to the office of his son. He went on cautiously and saw a hysterical Narcissa kneeling on the ground, supported by a soldier who tried to bring her out of office.

Lucius Malfoy's eyes then collided with his son's corpse, lying in his blood in front of the window. Draco's hand was still holding the gun he had turned against himself and his face, usually so beautiful, was now mutilated by the bullet that had passed through his head.

_

* * *

_

I hope you liked it!

_Happy holidays everybody!_


	18. Almost back to normal

Thank you so much to all of you for all the great reviews that I got from last chapter! I just loved them! I hope you'll like this chapter too! And I would like to thanks a lot to **Nia** who always betas the chapters. She is the best!

Thanks to **beauty+brains=HG**, **the-bella-malfoy**, **Elven at Heart**, **Leah Andrea Black**, **kdm18**, **Inner Self**, **Arrgh-matey**, **Snape is Forgiven**, , **malfoyie456**, **plasticlittlespastic**, , **fantasia-49**, **Fozzy-Floozy**, **tefy**, **Slytherin Princess 2012**, **miss quirky** **bookworm**, **ctc**, **WhiteGreen**,

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Chapter 18:

** (Almost) back to normal….**

**Malefoys Manor nowadays.**

"LUCIUS!" Narcissa Malfoy yelled.

Draco's father, who was working in his office, ran into the bedroom of his son where his wife had been watching Draco for days.

"What is happening?" He asked, out of breath and panicked.

"Draco screamed." Narcissa cried out. "And then he fell back on his pillow, he does not look well at well. Please, Lucius do something."

Lucius Malfoy came near his son's body. He has been plunged into this very deep coma for more than two months. Despite Dumbledore's and Madam Pomfrey's warnings, he had decided to bring his son back home. And today he bitterly regretted it because if Draco needed care, he would be unable to provide it.

He looked at him and he took his pulse. He sighed with relief realising it was fine. He was reassuring his wife when he saw Draco suddenly open his eyes and exhale loudly. Lucius moved abruptly away from the bed while Narcissa approached her son. Draco sat on his bed, his eyes seeming completely empty. He seemed completely disoriented.

"Draco, darling, we are so happy that you finally came back among us!" His mother said, holding her son into her arms.

Draco took a few moments to process what his mother had said, and then his gaze landed on his father. A glimmer of hatred and insanity shone in his eyes and he stood up suddenly.

"I will kill you!" Draco yelled, trying to throw himself on his father.

Lucius stepped back abruptly while his wife tried to restrain Draco. It was like he was in a trance.

"You killed her, monster! You killed my wife!" Draco cried, his eyes bulging with anger.

"But Draco calm yourself!" His father said, trying to appease him. "I did not kill anyone… well not lately at least."

Draco stopped suddenly to struggle and ran feverishly his hands under his shirt in search of the chain which the Draco of 1943 had attached his wedding. Finding nothing, and suddenly recognizing his room, he asked with a trembling voice:

"Am I in England?"

"Of course." Her mother replied. "You are at home. You had an accident during potions, we brought you here."

"So, I really came back." Draco murmured to himself.

He sat again on his bed and after a few seconds of silence, he suddenly stood up:

"Hermione!" he exclaimed "I need to go back to Hogwarts immediately!"

"I am not sure that this is a good idea." His father said. "I will bring a healer to see you first."

"No." Draco yelled. "I must go to Hogwarts! Now!"

His mother, worried, preferred obeying rather than risking her son relapsing.

"Of course darling. Your father will send a message to Dumbledore. Your headmaster told us that, once you awoke, he would make the Hogwarts Express ready just for you, for your return."

"So, let's go now. I can not lose another minute." Draco cried getting agitated.

**

* * *

**

Hogwarts, meanwhile.

Ron, Harry and Ginny were standing in front of Hermione's bed. Madam Pomfrey had called them to the infirmary. They rushed within the room and stopped when they saw Hermione sitting up on her bed. They ran towards her.

"Hermione!" Ron exclaimed. "You are awake!"

"Yes." Hermione replied smiling slightly.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry she is fine." Dumbledore said. He was standing near her bed.

"We are so happy that you are finally back among us!" Ginny said while sitting next to her girlfriend.

"Yes, we missed you so much." Ron added.

"How long was I in the coma?" The young woman asked.

"About two months." The headmaster replied.

"That long!" Hermione groaned. "But how am I going to make up for all the classes I missed!"

"Don't worry for that." Harry said. "We took all your classes for you, and made notes of them, so that you would only have to study them."

"Thank you very much." Hermione said.

"That's perfect. Madam Pomfrey and I will leave you." Dumbledore suddenly said. "But do not stay too long, Miss Granger needs some rest."

The director asked the nurse for a glass of pumpkin juice in his office, and they both came out of the room, leaving the four young teenagers alone. A silence settled, but Harry quickly broke it as he opened his mouth hesitantly:

"Hermione…I am really sorry this was entirely my fault. I should never have gotten so angry in the dungeons. If you only knew how bad I feel about it."

"It's not your fault Harry. It was an accident." Hermione replied. "I'm not mad at you at all."

"I thought you would never wake up…" Harry replied.

"But I am here now." The young woman said. "And that's all that counts, isn't it?"

"Of course." Ron said. "So tell us everything! Dumbledore told us that you were trapped in the body of one of your reincarnated lives but that you had no control over it."

Hermione lost her discreet smile and did not reply to the question. She gazed around the infirmary, her eyes searching.

"Where is Draco?" She asked suddenly.

His three friends looked briefly at each other. None dared to speak. After a few moments, Ginny finally, gathering her courage, answered:

"He returned home."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. "How long did his coma last, wasn't it as long as mine?"

"Actually, he is not awake." Ginny said with a weak voice. "Sorry, I don't know how to explain that properly. Actually his father, while Draco was still in a coma, had made him transfer to the Malfoy Manor."

"So, he is not awake?" Hermione questioned whose voice was shaking.

"I am sorry Hermione." Ron answered. "We don't know anything."

"I understand why I came back." Hermione said abruptly.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"I was killed".

"What?!" Her friends cried out.

"Stop looking at me like that." The young woman answered. "Let me explain. Without going into details, what I can tell you is that the Hermione of the past lived in Paris during the Second World War. The last memories I have of this life were those of her execution."

"Oh my God, Hermione." Ginny cried out, horrified. "How much you must have suffered alone there!"

"I was not alone. Draco was with me. We were married. We were happy for as long as it lasted." Hermione said with a thoughtful look.

While Ron was about to retort something, a discreet knock was heard and the door of the infirmary opened. Neville leaned his head through the opening and asked with a smile:

"A rumour had spread saying that The Sleeping Beauty was finally awake! Can we come in?"

"Of course." Hermione replied with a smile.

Neville opened the door and entered the room soon followed by Luna. Once Hermione saw his girlfriend, she screamed, jumped out of bed and rushed over her. She squeezed her in her arms. Luna, as usual, was smiling.

"I am glad to see you again too Hermione!" Luna exclaimed while looking at her as if she was from another planet.

"If only you knew how much I am glad to see you here!" Hermione exclaimed while watching her friend. "You are fine, aren't you?"

"Of course." Luna said. "Why wouldn't I be?"

Hermione heaved a sigh of relief and went back to sit on her bed.

* * *

Draco was sitting in a carriage in the Hogwarts Express. His parents were standing in front of him. He was impatient to arrive. He had to see Hermione. It was vital. If he was back then, she should be too. He needed to see her awake, in good health. He could not bear the idea of her remaining stuck in the past, in that previous life while he had returned. No, she could not abandon him, not now that they had finally come back together. A bitter smile appeared on Draco's face. Actually it was their two reincarnated lives that had been reunited and loved, but what about them? Before being sent in the past, their history was rather compromised. "And it was an understatement!" Draco thought while watching his father who was staring at him from the corner of his eyes.

"You really don't want to tell us what happened Draco?" Lucius asked.

"Nothing happened." The young man replied with a stubborn tone.

"Draco, you jumped over me with the intent of killing me."

"I am sorry. I did not know what I was doing."

"It's such a lie." His father replied. "I am sure that you perfectly know why you did it. Besides what is this story of a wife?"

"I don't remember." Draco said looking through the window, trying not to turn look at his worried parents.

"Very well." Lucius said looking upset. "But then maybe we can talk about Hermione?"

"There is nothing to say."

"We have known you to be more talkative." Narcissa Malfoy said.

"I am tired." Draco said.

"Are you kidding? You just spent the last two months sleeping." Lucius said.

"I wasn't sleeping." Draco replied, clenching his jaw.

"We know darling." her mother said while glaring at her husband.

"We only want to help you." Lucius said. "And also understand why you had hidden the fact you were with this girl from us."

"Because I knew you would not approve of it." Draco said with a weary tone. "Anyway, it does not matter now."

"Why?" Narcissa asked.

"We broke up shortly before the incident. There is nothing more to say."

"Well, it is not so bad after all." Draco's father said, smiling. "It would never have worked anyway."

"Probably." Draco sighed.

"It is even sure. You are way too good for this kind of girls."

Draco shook his fists with rage. The last sentence of his father reminded him too much of the behaviour of the Lucius Malfoy in the past, his hatred for Hermione, which had led to her death. And what if they come back together now? How long could he hide this relationship from his father? And especially what will the latter do when he learns it? Would he try to hurt Hermione? Draco knew that he could. He could not stand the idea of reliving what had happened in the past.

He remembered perfectly the feeling he had experienced when he saw his wife fall to the ground, her body riddled with bullets, and her blood spilled on the ground. He felt his heart shatter and his chest squeeze up as if it refused to let him breathe. His gaze was then turned on the gun he had found a few minutes before in the drawer of his office. Nobody was aware of its existence; Draco disliked weapons and even never used them, if he could avoid doing so. He then took the gun in his hands and had unlocked the trigger lock. He threw a last look outside and remembered the promise he had made to his wife. He had said that he would survive, that he would overcome her death, but he knew that without her, he wouldn't be able to do it. Draco had raised the barrel of the gun against his temple and pressed the trigger.

Draco shook his head. He could not be go through this right now, as he was about to see her again. Yet the image of his father leading her to the pole of execution continued to haunt. His father had never accepted their relationship in the past. He wouldn't accept it more now. He could not risk losing her again. Perhaps, he thought, the only way to keep her safe was to let her live her life without him?

As the train arrived at Hogwarts, Draco got up quickly and left the wagon without taking the time to wait for his parents. When the Hogwarts Express stopped, he jumped on the dock and looked around him. A horseless carriage was waiting, the same as the ones that transported the students to the school at the beginning of each school year. The only difference is that he could now see by what the carriages were drawn: beautiful dark and imposing creatures stood in front of the vehicle. However Draco barely took time to sudy them and climbed into the cart. Severus Snape was already sitting inside.

"I am happy to see you again among us Draco." The master of potions declared.

"Is Hermione awake?" the young man asked while his parents joined them.

"Yes, she returned to her senses shortly before you, from what I understand." Snape answered. "Her friends are with her. Madam Pomfrey said she would bear no ill effects. She wants to examine you, and has asked me to take you directly to the infirmary."

"Yes." Narcissa replied instead of her son. "I will be more reassured when he saw someone competent. He did not want us to call a healer."

Rogue nodded and waved his wand. Immediately, the Thestrals began to move. They arrived a few minutes later at the castle and Draco jumped up the steps, his feet only hitting every fourth step, barely stopping to catch his breath in the Entrance Hall. He began to run like crazy through the maze of corridors, and soon found himself in front of the door of the infirmary. He forced him to calm down and breathe normally. Slowly, he opened the door and entered without silently. He leant against the door and looked in front of him. A small crowd was gathered in front of Hermione's bed, all her friends were surrounding her and she was laughing. He listened to her pure and crystalline laughter for a moment, and observed her peaceful face. Merlin he had missed her!

Suddenly, watching her smiling and looking so happy he made his choice. He had no right to ruin her life, to ruin her chances of being happy. The young woman turned her head in his direction and noticed him, back at the door. She immediately stopped talking and all her friends turned to look at what Hermione was staring at. Draco forced his face to look impassive and walked towards the small group of people.

Harry then said:

"We will leave you both so you could talk a little."

The young people began to leave the room. Before going out, Harry turned around one last time.

"Oh, and Malfoy…" He began

"I know." Draco cut him off. "You are sorry."

"How did you know what I was going to say?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow.

"It was easy to guess, Saint Potter must feel guilty for what happened in the dungeons. That's logical."

"Fine Malfoy but this is the first and last time that I apologize to you, remember that!" Harry cried out while walking out of the room.

A smile appeared on Hermione's lips as she sat properly on her bed. In a wave, she invited the young man to settle down next to her.

"Is everything fine for you?" Draco asked.

"I'm all right." Hermione replied with a smile.

"Oh… it is good then…" Draco said, lowering his eyes.

After a few seconds of silence, Hermione sighed:

"Do you think Harry and Ron managed to escape their cells in France after my execution?" She enquired.

"Yes, they escaped, during their transfer if my memory is correct." Draco said, trying to appear as natural as possible. "Well now, I will let you rest. I just wanted to know if you were fine."

He got up and began to head to the door when Hermione's voice stopped him:

"Wait! Don't you want to talk about what happened?"

"Oh please Hermione." Draco exclaimed with a false exasperated tone. "What happened is already quite painful. Moreover, I don't see what we could talk about. These people in who we lived, there were not us."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"I think that what I just said was clear, wasn't it?" Draco said using a cold voice.

Hermione felt tears invade her eyes but suppressed them with considerable difficulty. Draco, who was watching her from the corner of her eye, had his heart torn for having to hurt her. He turned around and began to walk away.

"What happened after my execution?" The young woman asked in a last-ditch attempt to keep him close to her.

"I am not sure you want to know it." Draco said without turning back.

"Please Draco." Hermione begged. "At least grant me this last favour."

The young man turned slowly, faced Hermione and look at her straight in the eyes. He forced himself to smirk and lied using a tone which, he hoped, sounded detached:

"Well, barely two months after your execution, the Draco from the past returned to Berlin and married Pansy. I guess I, I mean he… didn't really love you after all."

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End of this chapter ! I hope you liked it !

_There are still 2 chapters left and it will be the end of this fiction!_


	19. Departure

_Hello everybody! I'm really **sorry** I hadn't update sooner but you may know that in my country: in France, we students and our universities are on strike since two months, so I've pretty busy trying to attend at least a few courses …**Anyway here the 19th chapter ! I hope you will like it!**_

_Thanks a lot to my lovely **reviewers** (and my **great beta: Nia**): __kaikuduo__, __Slytherin Princess__2012__, __kat6528__, __WhiteGreen__, __the shattered star, Arrgh-matey, ctc, Elven at Heart, plasticlittlespastic, craztef, miss quirky bookworm, Inner Self, oscar8925 and TimeIsATrickyThingWhatCanYouDo_

**To answer those who asked me, Yes I am writing a sequel to this story. Would you want me to translate it into English**** after the end of ****Another Life****?**

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Chapter 19: Departure.

After Draco's declaration, Hermione had laid down again, tears running down her cheeks. She had spent the whole night crying, Draco's cold and nasty remark had deeply hurt her. Throughout the night, she repeated the recent events over and over in her head. It was stupid to think that the Draco from the past was the same as the one in the present. What happened during the war had almost made her forget how her Draco had treated her and her parents before the incident potion. But she had to face the facts; her relationship with the young man was finally over.

The next morning, when Harry, Ron and Ginny walked into the infirmary it was a prostrate Hermione they discovered. She was curled on herself, and her eyes were red and bloated. Worried, Ginny approached her and sat by her side. Hermione sat up slowly.

"Is this Malfoy's fault?" Ron asked while trying to contain his anger.

"No, it's mine." Hermione said. "I thought what had happened between us there would change things, but I was wrong."

"Do you want to talk with us… about what happened while you were in the coma?" Harry asked with a little voice.

Hermione sighed and sat more comfortably on her bed. Her friends took chairs and sat down next to her.

"I suppose Dumbledore explained to you that I was a kind of witness of my previous life." Hermione began. "I was inside the 1940's Hermione body. I could see what she saw, touch what she wanted to touch, feel her emotions, and yet I had no control over her. This Hermione lived in Paris at the time of the German occupation during the Second World War; you were all there too, well your reincarnated lives at least. She was involved with the French Resistance, as were her friends. Shortly after, she met this German, the son of the head of the Gestapo…it was Draco. They both fell in love… madly in love with each other. And then the past Hermione and Ginny were captured for the first time. I remember how much Hermione was afraid for her friend. Ginny was terrified at the idea that she could lose her baby and….

"Wait a minute." Ron cut off. "In the past Ginny was expecting a baby?! What is this story? Was she married at least?"

"Technically not." Hermione said. "Mais…But…"

"What do you mean she was not?" Ginny's brother exclaimed. "And who was the father?"

Hermione chewed her lip and did not answer. She glanced at Ginny who was watching her carefully; she was obviously very interested. Then her gaze landed on Harry, whose face had closed when he heard the announcement of Ginny's pregnancy in the past. The young woman had always known that Ginny was in love with Harry, but she never thought this feeling was mutual. She was therefore surprised, when she was found stuck in the past, to see that the previous two lives her friends were together and very in love. But now she wondered if it was a good idea to reveal everything. After all, Harry had never seemed interested in the red haired girl…

"Go ahead Hermione." Ginny encouraged her, getting her out of her daydream. "I'd like to know anyway."

"Very well." Hermione hesitated for a moment. "Harry was the father of the baby."

Harry and Ginny's eyes opened with surprise while Ron fell almost to the ground. Before his friend started to howl, Hermione had the presence of mind to continue.

"I can assure you Ron they were both in love and very happy. Now if we could return to our initial subject…"

"Yes…" Harry stammered once he got over with his surprise. "I think that would be a great idea actually."

"And then." Hermione continued. "Draco helped us to escape, but it was then that I learned that he was engaged with the Pansy from the past. I never thought that I could forgive him, but Luna's death changed everything."

"Luna died?" Ginny exclaimed looking horrified.

"Caught in the middle of a gun fight between resistance fighters and Germans troops. I was also there but Draco saved my life. I saw my friend dying in front of me. After her death, I grew closer to Draco; we were increasingly close, more and more in love. He asked me to marry him, I agreed and we married. Everything was just perfect, until I was arrested two days after my wedding. You know the rest of the story, I was executed the following day."

"By Merlin, Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed. "It must have been really horrible for you out there."

"That is not the worst part of it," the young woman whispered while sniffing. "Draco told me yesterday that after my execution his life embodied had returned to Germany to marry Pansy. I guess that's his way of telling me that he has never really loved me."

"Hermione, I am sorry." Harry murmured. "I would have liked things turn out differently. I could not have imagined that you care so much about him."

"Anyway." she began. "I have only thing left to do now."

"What?" Ginny asked.

"Forget about him." Hermione sighed in retaining her tears.

* * *

Two weeks later, everything was almost back to normal at Hogwarts. Hermione and Draco had resumed classes and had almost managed to catch up with everything. But things had changed for the two young people. Hermione remained silent and morose; she hadn't smiled or laughed since she had awakened. The same was true for Draco, who had not spoken to her since that night in the hospital wing. He had stopped harassing her to apologize for his behaviour. It was this indifference that made her even more depressed.

Her friends had obviously noticed these changes and did not know what to do to make her smile again. Their friend's state of mind worried them so they eventually asked to see the headmaster. They went into Dumbledore office. He invited them to sit with a gesture of the hand.

"What can I do for you?" The old man asked while sitting.

"We are worried about Hermione." Harry began. "Since she woke from her coma, she is always sad and depressed."

"Yes, I have noticed that too." Dumbledore said. He stood up and walked in front of the window. "However Miss Granger is not the only one affected by the concern of her relatives. Draco's parents should be there any minute. They are also very disturbed at their son's behaviour."

"We believe this has something to do with what happened during the war." Ginny replied. "Personally I think that…"

"It is ridiculous." Ron exclaimed. "Ginny, we already discussed that, and this idea is not at all believable and…"

"Please Mr Weasley." Dumbledore cut off. "Let your sister finish."

"And so." Ginny said while glaring at Ron. "I think that something had happened in the past, after the execution of Hermione. Draco told her that he had returned to Germany and that he had married another woman, but I think he lied. Otherwise why would he be so tormented and disheartened?"

"I think you are right." Dumbledore said after a few moments of reflection.

"But we have no way to find out what happened! Anybody that we can talk about May 8th 1943 must be dead by this time!" Harry exclaimed.

"I won't be so sure about that Harry." the headmaster replied. "After Miss Granger told me the story of her adventures, I thought it was my duty do some research. I discovered a person who might be able to help us: the son that your embodied lives: Harry and Ginny had in the past, shortly after they arrived in England in May 1943 precisely."

"Is he still alive?" Ginny was astonished.

"Yes, and his parents told him everything." Dumbledore said.

"So, we need to talk to him!" Harry exclaimed.

"I knew you would react like that." The old man replied with a small smile. "So I arranged a meeting between him and two of you."

"I'll go!" Ginny cried out, standing abruptly up from her chair.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed. "I wanted to go there too!"

"Ladies first." His sister said.

Ron, red with anger, was about to retaliate sharply when Dumbledore stopped him and asked him to go wait outside to prevent Draco's parents from entering. The boy groused but quickly obeyed and left the room. Hogwarts' headmaster walked to a large cupboard, opened it and removed two glasses. He placed them his desk, then reached into one of his robe pockets and took out a little gold lighter. He showed it to the two students.

"This is a kind of portkey. You just have to turn it on and you will find yourself at the exact place of the meeting. When you are done with it, you will activate it a second time and you return to Hogwarts."

"And what about that? Are we going to use these?" Ginny asked while pointing out two glasses filled with a greenish liquid. "It is Polyjuice Potion isn't it?"

"Indeed Miss Weasley." Dumbledore said. "You can not arrive in front of this man with your real appearances. The poor man would be too disturbed. He would have the feeling of seeing the ghosts of his dead parents… Now drink please… it is time!"

Harry and Ginny each took a glass and drunk with one stroke. After a few grimaces, they stood up and still. They both became different people and curiously glanced at each other for a moment. Dumbledore made them come out of their dreams and urged them to hurry. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand, hoping not to blush, and quickly turn on the little lighter.

A few seconds later, they were both standing up in a shady and deserted path. The ground was paved and small stone sanctuaries could be seen all around them.

"Where are we?" Ginny stammered, looking at everything around her.

"In Paris." Harry replied, indicating a plate placed on a wall. "We are at the Père Lachaise cemetery."

"Bonjour." A voice behind them suddenly said.

The two young men turned around and suddenly found themselves facing an old man, wearing thick glasses and leaning on a stick.

"I suppose you must be the historians that Mr Dumbledore sent to interview me?" He asked.

"Historians?" Harry hesitated.

"Of course yes, we are the historians." Ginny said glaring at Harry.

"Follow me." The old man said.

Harry and Ginny dashed behind the men and climbed the paths. At the bend of the alleys, they stopped in front of a tomb.

"I come every week on the grave of my parents." The old man told them. "They were great people. They participated actively in the resistance and the liberation of Paris during the war. They were heroes, and yet they never wanted the World to know about them. That's why I was very surprised by the visit of your friend Dumbledore, and especially by his interest in my family."

"We are especially interested in the year 1943." Harry said trying not to pay attention to two names engraved on the stone. "And in the execution of a certain Hermione Granger."

The old man nodded gravely and continued:

"She was my parents' best friend. I do not think they ever truly recovered from her death. I remember what my mother told me about the execution. She said that if she had known Hermione was about to be executed, they would have never left France. She learned about the death of her friend a few months after her arrival in England."

"Your parents didn't know about the execution?" Harry was surprised.

"They knew, but the man who had them escape and leave France had promised to prevent the execution. Unfortunately, he did not succeed. He wasn't been able to prevent it. My parents trusted his word because he was the husband of their friend. But they soon realized that he lied to them to be sure that they would leave France."

"Hermione Granger was therefore married?"

"Yes." He nodded. "And what is the most ironic in all this story is that she was married to a German, a member of the Gestapo."

"I suppose your father did not like it?" Harry asked.

"At the beginning, no he did not. My father rarely spoke of this man. But just before his death, he confessed me that he had great respect for him."

"Well, I do not understand why honestly!" Harry exclaimed. "I would have no respect for someone who let his wife die and, a few months later, married another woman."

"I beg your pardon! Who told you such a thing?"

"According to our sources, Draco Malfoy returned to Berlin after the execution of Hermione and married his childhood friend Pansy Parkinson."

The old man said nothing and walked quickly away from them. Harry and Ginny remained still in front of the grave of their past lives.

"What do we do now?" Harry asked.

"We run after him of course!" Ginny answered.

They caught him up a few minutes later. He was holding a small flower in his hand and laid it on the grave in front of which he was standing. Ginny stopped immediately when she saw the names engraved on the stone.

"Oh my God!" She exclaimed. "This is the tomb of Hermione and Draco Malfoy."

"It is impossible!" Harry whispered while observing carefully the names inscribed on the tomb. "Malfoy died the same day Hermione did?"

"My mother told me that he was very in love with his wife." the man replied. "And he was certainly not able to bear Hermione's death. He shot himself in the head a few seconds after his wife's execution."

"Malfoy committed suicide?" Harry was astonished.

"Yes, my parents met his mother, Narcissa Malfoy, shortly after the war. She made sure they have been buried together. Poor woman. The resistance fighters executed her husband, who was a bastard, during the liberation of Paris. She had no one left… she died shortly after telling the whole story to my parents."

"Thank you so much for your help." Ginny stammered causing Harry to wake from his torpor. "We will get back to you later."

Then she added in whispering to Harry's ear:

"We need to talk to Hermione… now!"

* * *

Draco quickly came out of the Common Room where he had just had a stormy conversation with his parents. He has been first surprised to see them today and had been very angry when they had announced him that they had made an appointment with Dumbledore to talk about his behaviour. Then he quickly realized that this surprise visit could only be beneficial for him. He had immediately expressed his last request. Her parents started by refusing it, and then because he was almost begging them to accept, they finally gave their consent.

The young man was heading to the library, hoping to bump into Hermione. He definitely had to talk to her before doing anything else. He found her, as he had predicted it, in front of a window near the entrance to his favourite place and slowly approached her. He was nervous. During the last two weeks, he had tried to avoid her. Seeing her without being able to touch her, holding her, let alone kiss her, made him feel sick.

"Hermione?" He called with a soft voice.

The young woman turned abruptly around and her face became pale when she saw Draco. But she composed herself and asked him with a voice that was cold and expressed no feeling:

"What do you want?"

Anger had replaced pain in Hermione's heart and this behaviour strongly destabilized the young man.

"I just want to talk to you… do you mind going for a walk?" He asked.

"I am rather busy at the moment." she replied stepping away from him.

"Please!" he cried out grabbing her wrist. "Stay! This is important."

This sudden contact disturbed the young woman and she freed herself quickly. Nevertheless, she decided to stay a moment to listen what the young man had to say.

"You have two minutes, I am listening."

"It won't take two minutes." Draco told her when approaching her a little bit more. "First, I wanted to apologize for what I told you during the meeting. I never meant those things. I guess I was just trying not to create problems with my parents. I do not ask for your forgiveness, I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry. Also… I wanted to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?" Hermione was surprised.

"My parents have an appointment with Dumbledore in ten minutes to explain everything. I'm leaving Hogwarts."

Hermione stepped back abruptly and looked at him carefully; her eyes searching his for something that would indicate that all of this was just a joke.

"But…why?" she stammered.

"I always wanted to go and study at Durmstrang, and besides I have nothing left to keep me here anyway." He answered, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

The young woman received this last statement as a slap in the face and swayed for a moment. A silence settled between them for a few seconds and then Draco said:

"Good… well, I need to go pack. Goodbye, Hermione."

The young man turned around and began to walk away when he heard Hermione's voice behind him.

"Coward!" she cried out with anger.

"What did you just say?" Draco asked by turning around again suddenly.

"When are you finally going to deal with your problems instead of fleeing from them?" She kept screaming while getting closer to him.

"I do not flee." He replied by raising his tone. "You do not know what you are talking about!"

"Ah you really think that?" Hermione exclaimed. "Then gives us time to talk about everything that happened, about what we have experienced! You can not erase our history like that!"

"Of course I can!" Draco cried out making grand gestures with his hands. "And I will! We are over! What can I tell you so you'll understand? That I don't love you? That I never did? Is that what you want?"

Hermione did not answer and rushed into his arms. She placed her lips on his and kissed with all the passion and love she was able to give. Draco first tried to push her away but he had dreamed so many times of this moment in the previous days that he quickly allowed himself to kiss her back, tightening his arms around the waist of the young woman, and responding to every kiss with more fervour than ever before.

Suddenly Hermione released herself from their embrace and rested against Draco's. While he was trying to catch his breath, she whispered:

"Don't you dare tell me that you do not feel something…"

Draco imprisoned her face with his hands, and slightly laid a kiss on her lips before answering on the same tone.

"I am sorry, but it does not change anything. I am leaving anyway."

Hermione hurriedly freed herself from his arms and cried out before running away from him:

"You are a coward Malfoy!"

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That's almost the end! Only one chapter left!

_Thanks you so much everyone for taking time to read my fiction._

_Bises et bonne semaine_


	20. Try

_I took advantage of this week of vacation to translate the last chapter and I still can believe it's already the end of __this fiction!_

_I'm thanking with all my heart all the people that read this story and also, of course, those who reviewed! I really appreciated the support! As we say in French : MERCI !!_

_Thanks also to my three beta! I'm lucky to have them: __**confused-luna**__ (for the beginning), __**xxxxcrazychickxxxx **__(for the middle) and the great __**Nia**__ (who if she agrees will beta the sequel of this fiction)!_

_And finally thanks to __**Leah Andrea Black, Slytherin Princess 2012, xiia0moonlight, Rebecca, Story Lover, tefy, Elven at Heart, the shattered star**__ who reviewed last chapter !_

_I'm currently writing (in French) a sequel to this fiction called __**D'autres Vies**__, I already asked it, but would you be interested in reading it if I translate it into English ?_

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Chapter 20: Try

Draco watched as Hermione walked away, his throat felt blocked. She had been right; he was a coward after all. If he was a little braver, he would have dared confront his father about his relationship and he and Hermione could be together. But fear had prevented him from trying anything. He could not bear to lose her a second time. And he knew that it was far too dangerous for her to stay with him. Looking completely distressed, he headed down for the dungeons and entered his common room. He crossed it quickly and went to his dormitory. He pulled out his trunk from under his four-poster bed and began to fill it.

"Can you please tell me what's happening here?" a voice behind him asked.

"Isn't it obvious Blaise?" Draco said icily.

"But Draco, you can't do that! You can't leave. Your friends, your family is here… Hermione is here."

"Don't talk about her."

"You've got be kidding! You thought we hadn't noticed that you were in love with her?!"

"You're pissing me off Blaise." Draco stormed while emptying the contents of his wardrobe into his trunk.

"I'm right and you know it. If you only you weren't that stubborn you'll see…"

"Don't start with the melodrama." the young man cut off.

"You resemble your father more each day." Blaise sighed.

This last statement stopped Draco in his tracks. Suddenly, he remembered that the Lucius from the past had said exactly the same thing to his son. Oh God, how could he let that happen? Without even taking the time to respond to his friend, Draco left his packing and walked out of the dormitory. He ran through the corridors, he needed to get out, take a big breath of fresh air.

* * *

Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy were walking up the stairs that led to the office of the Hogwarts' Headmaster when they noticed Ron sitting on a chair. As soon as he saw them he stood up abruptly and placed himself in front of them.

"Mr. Weasley." Lucius Malfoy whispered. "What are you doing here?"

"Dumbledore asked me to wait for you and then bring you in."

"You will not be attending the meeting, will you?" Draco's father asked.

"I am afraid I will" Ron answered with a half-smile.

"This is unacceptable!" Lucius cried out.

"Lucius!" Narcissa exclaimed, trying to calm her husband down. "Calm yourself. Getting angry won't lead us anywhere. We are here to help Draco."

"And I am here to help my friend." Ron replied coldly. "She is no longer the same since she came back. And it's your son that causes her so much pain."

"Very well." Lucius replied with a smile.

"You are pathetic." the youngest of the Weasley brothers spat. "You're responsible for everything that is happening at the moment."

"I beg your pardon?" Lucius hissed, stepping dangerously closer to Ron.

"Without you, your son would be happy and Hermione would be too."

"You are wrong Weasley, my son feels nothing for this who…for this… girl." Lucius said.

"It is you is wrong." Ron replied. "They are in love. Just as they were their past lives."

« What do you mean?" Narcissa asked, effectively cutting off her husband, who was about answer sharply to the young man.

Ron stepped back suddenly. He gazed of the woman in front of him. Could it be that they did not know?

"Draco didn't say anything did he?" He asked.

"About?" Lucius was quickly losing his temper.

"What happened while he was in a coma?"

"No." Narcissa answered anxiously while twisting her hands. "Please, if you know something, tell us. Draco's behaviour worries me. He even wants to leave Hogwarts."

"It is not a bad idea if you want my opinion Narcissa." Lucius said.

"He wants to leave?" Ron was surprised. He suspected that the news would devastate Hermione. "But he can not do that!"

"I totally agree with you." Narcissa nodded. "Now, tell us what you know!"

"We'll be better to continue this discussion in my office." Dumbledore intervened, appearing behind Ron. "Come in, please."

The Malfoy couple didn't argue and followed the headmaster silently. They both sat in front of the desk and Dumbledore settled in his chair. Ron was still standing up.

"Well." Dumbledore said. "Now Mr. Weasley, could you please continue your story?"

"Yes, of course." Ron said settling in a chair comfortably. "So Draco did not tell you that while he was in a coma, he was trapped in one of his past lives? He was sent in the past, during the Second World War."

"Oh God, poor dear." Narcissa whispered.

"So." Ron continued, not taking any notice of Narcissa's outburst. "Hermione was a resistance fighter and your son was a Nazi, a German soldier and the son of the head of the Gestapo. To sum it up, they fell in love, got married, and your reincarnated life Mr. Malfoy imprisoned Hermione in the past, and ordered her execution. Your son and Hermione then returned to the present."

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy remained silent for a moment. Draco's mother seemed staggered while his father was shaking his head slowly.

"How did this happen…" he stammered.

"Apparently your son doesn't resemble you as much as you think." Ron answered coldly.

"And what happened to my son after the death of his wife?" Narcissa asked.

"We do not know exactly." Dumbledore replied. "But…"

The director was cut off in his momentum by a sudden loud sound. Ginny and Harry, who had resumed their normal appearance, came to appear at the back of the room. They both seemed shocked. As soon Lucius saw them, he stood up suddenly.

"Potter!" He cried out. "I know that you must have something to do with that!"

"You! Now is not the time!" Harry replied nervously. "We need to find Hermione."

"What did you discover?" Ron asked.

"I don't think we should talk about it in front of them." Ginny hesitated, gesturing towards the Malfoys.

"Please." Narcissa begged. "I want to know what happened to my son."

"This is not a good idea." Harry said. "You shouldn't know, especially you mister Malfoy, because you are responsible for everything."

"This is incredible! When are you are going to stop accusing me of everything that goes wrong around you?" Lucius exclaimed. "I don't even know what I'm accused of."

"What we are trying to explain, Mr. Malfoy, is that your behaviour and your hatred of muggleborns led your son to give up the only person he has ever truly loved." Dumbledore declared.

"I don't understand." Lucius said.

"He fears for her." Narcissa whispered. She was beginning to understand the whole story. "Mr Weasley has just explained that your past life killed his wife. I suppose he must be afraid that you will do the same thing in our time."

Lucius did not answer and got up slowly. He was completely stunned. He went to the window that overlooked the gardens. He rested his head against it, his eyes staring into space. Most of the people in the room were dumbfounded by the change in Draco's father's attitude.

"How…How could he think I would do such a thing?" He stammered.

"Well, could you blame him?" Ron replied sarcastically.

"I think you should talk to him." Harry said, approaching him. "If he loves Hermione at least as much as his past life loved his wife then you need to tell him that you'll leave them in peace. He will never forgive you for having put an end to his relationship with her."

"I don't approve of this relationship." Lucius whispered.

"Then you will have to overcome your prejudices." said Ginny. "Do you want to know what happened to your son in the past?"

"I'd rather not."

"Your son." Ginny explained in a soft voice without taking care of the previous remark of Draco's father. "Could not bear the death of his wife. He shot himself a few seconds after Hermione was executed."

"It's impossible…" Lucius murmured. He could still not believe what had just been said. His wife let out a sob. "Draco… suicide…"

"If you don't want the same thing happening to your son in the present, then you have to intervene now." Dumbledore said. He stood up and laid his hand on Lucius' shoulder.

After a moment of reflection, Lucius stepped away from the window, skirted around the desk and headed for the exit. He came down the stairs and quickly walked for the dungeons to find his son. However instead of Draco, he found Blaise in the dormitory.

"Where is Draco?"

"I do not know." The young man replied. "He paled when I told him that he was looking more and more like you and then he left."

"Fine." Lucius muttered and then came out of the room.

He had pretty much a good idea where his son had gone to be in peace. Lucius had told him one day that when he was himself at Hogwarts, and when he wanted to be alone, he went and lay at the foot of the centenary tree near the lake to relax for a while. This memory turned out to be very useful as he found Draco seated exactly there. His father sat at his side.

"Why didn't you tell me, Draco?"

"About what?"

"What happened during the Second World War… that you were married and that I had killed your wife."

"There was nothing to say." Draco replied with a hollow voice. "It's over. It does not matter now."

"It matters to me." his father answered. "And too this young woman, too. Draco, I've never seen you like this. You are not happy."

"And since when are you interested in my happiness?" the young man asked coldly.

Lucius prompted a heavy sigh and ruffled his silky hair.

"Whether you believe it or not, your happiness has always been one of my priorities. You are my son; you and your mother are the only people that truly matter to me. I am sorry if I haven't been able to show you that before." he said.

"What do you want?" Draco asked, getting annoyed.

"I just wanted to say that I wouldn't object to your having a relationship with Hermione. If it makes you happy then that's all that matters."

"I have to go pack." Draco said regardless of what his father had just said.

The young man stood up suddenly, dusted his clothes and was about to leave when his father clutched his arm.

"You are not like me Draco. You never will be. Do not lose her because you are afraid of what the future holds for you."

Draco remained silent and freed himself from the grip of his father. He was heading bac toward the castle entrance when he saw Hermione just in front of him. Her eyes were filled with tears and Draco stilled immediately. His father stood up abruptly and headed for the cloisters, leaving the two young people alone. He distanced himself away from them but stood up at some distance from where he could still observe them. Lucius gazed at his son's eyes while Draco was raising his hand up to Hermione's face. He looked livid. She took his hand and slowly led him under the old tree.

Lucius was not longer able to see them and let out a sigh. Things are becoming increasingly complicated, he thought. Suddenly he felt two thin arms surround his chest and the perfume of his wife tickle his nose.

"You made the right decision," she whispered in his ear.

"I am not so sure about it," her husband said. "Life won't be easy for them."

"They will be very happy." Narcissa reassured him.

"Yes, well, if Draco stops being such a stubborn little boy, and finally confesses to her how he feels."

"You taught him well." Narcissa said ironically.

Lucius smiled and held his wife's hands a little tighter between his own.

* * *

Hermione was sitting next to Draco and had kept his hand in hers. Seeing that the young man stubbornly refused to speak to her, she decided to take the matter into her own hands.

"I spoke with your mother a few minutes ago. She is a lovely woman."

"Yes, she is great." Draco said with a tight voice.

"I also had a very interesting conversation with Harry and Ginny. Apparently they met a person who told them about what happened right after my execution, you know, in the past."

"Ah…" Draco murmured while his throat tightened.

"Yes. They met the son that Ginny and Harry had in the past."

"So they had a son. That's a good thing." Draco said, trying to change the conversation to a less dangerous subject.

"Yes, and it is thanks to you, well, thanks to the Draco of the past. Their son told them that it was you who made his parents escape from prison and cross the English Channel to be safe in England."

"Ah yes… that."

"Yes… I am also aware of what your past life did after my execution."

Hermione put his hand on Draco's cheek and gripped his chin between her fingers to force him to look at her.

"Why did you lie to me, Draco?"

"I could not…. do otherwise." Draco, whose voice was shaking, stammered. "I was so ashamed."

"Ashamed! But ashamed of what?"

"I promised you that I would survive you, and I did not have the strength to continue without you I am sorry… I am just a weak man."

"You are not weak Draco." Hermione said while caressing his cheek. "You are the most courageous person I know."

"Hermione…"

"And you are loyal, gentle, intelligent, and nice. You possess a lot of qualities that made me fall in love with you."

"Don't say that, please…"

"Why?" she asked.

"I am sorry Hermione." Draco said trying to get up. "I can assure you that it's best that I'm leaving."

"No." she said in a determined voice as she forced him to sit next to her. "This time you won't run away Draco. What are you afraid of?"

"Hermione, I am not sure that…"

"Please Draco … you owe me the truth…"

"I won't lose you a second time." He confessed.

"I won't die." Hermione replied with a soft voice.

"But I refuse to take the risk anyway." Draco said who had gradually regained confidence in himself.

Hermione remained silent for a moment and then suddenly asked:

"Do you love me?"

Draco quickly turned his head and began to stare at the water in front of him.

"No." he answered with a weak voice.

Hermione chewed her lip in an effort not to cry. Once again, she forced Draco to gaze at her and said:

"Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me."

"I don't……"

The young man lowered suddenly his head, unable to withstand Hermione's gaze for another minute; unable too, to tell her he did not love her because his whole being shouted the absolute opposite.

Hermione came a little closer to him and her hand began to gently stroke the young man's hair.

"I don't want to spend the rest of my life thinking about what we could have had, I don't want to live with regrets. Please Draco, give us a chance to be happy. Let us try…"

The young woman's face kept getting closer to Draco and she laid her lips on his. When she felt the arms of the young man surround her, and his lips move beneath her own, her heart leaped in her chest. Draco literally covered her with kisses, and held her very tightly, fearing she might be lost to him again. He took her lips gently, pulling his hands along the back of the young woman.

Hermione suddenly get away from him. She needed to know what he thought, even if he was about to leave her once more. But when she saw the smile on Draco's lips, the tears she had tried to suppress flowed down her cheeks.

"And now?" she asked.

In a gesture of infinite gentleness, Draco wiped Hermione's tears away with the pads of his thumbs and leaned his face towards hers.

"We'll try." He said before kissing her again.

* * *

**Fin ?**

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Here it is: the end!

_I hope you liked the story and thanks a lot again for reading!_

_Don't forget to review, I love reading your impressions on Another life._


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